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Charm
Bracelet
DESIGN
CONSIDERATIONS 
MAKING THE S-LINKS
Measure
your wrist with a soft measuring tape, leaving some room for your bracelet to
hang comfortably. One finished S-link measures about 1" in length. However,
this size will vary depending on the placement of the wire on the jaws of your
round nose pliers. In addition to the length of the S-links, you will be adding
jump rings in between these links and one at the end. To ensure a good fit, I
suggest you make your S-links and some jump rings in copper first. This way you
can adjust the size by increasing or decreasing the 2-3/4" length recommended
in the directions.
Cut a 2-3/4"
piece of dead soft, 14-gauge, sterling silver wire with your flush (semi-flush)
wire cutters. Make sure both ends have a blunt cut. A blunt cut is achieved by
placing the flat side of the cutters next to the wire you are cutting. Safety
Concern: Flying pieces of wire are little missiles that can harm eyes. Always
cover the beveled side of the cutter with your index finger (not too close though)
to block wire flight.
Grasp one end with
the tip of your round nose pliers. Rotate your hand away from your body to form
a small circle. Repeat this action on the other end; make sure to form the small
circle in the opposite direction of the first one you made.
Grasp the wire (right
next to the little circle you just made) in the back of your round nose pliers.
Rotate your wrist away from your body and, with your free thumb, press down on
the wire until the little circle meets your thumb. Repeat on the other end of
the wire in the opposite direction. If you wish, hammer the curved ends with your
chasing hammer for a finished look. Make enough S-links to fit your wrist.
MAKING THE JUMP
RINGS 
Wrap 20"
of 16-gauge, dead soft, sterling silver wire around a wood dowel that is 1/4"
or less in diameter. Keep a tail in your non-wrapping hand so that you have something
to hang onto. Wrap away from your body and place the coils as close to each other
as possible. When you reach the end of the wire, reverse the direction of the
dowel and wrap the tail onto the dowel. Remove the coil from the dowel.
With your chain
nose pliers, gently pull the coil apart so it will be easier for you to make your
cuts. Blunt-cut the end of the coil with your flush wire cutters (flat side of
the cutters will be towards your body).
Reverse
your pliers so that the beveled side of your cutters now faces your body. This
will result in both ends of your jump ring having blunt cuts. Snip the second
coil right above the end of the first coil. You have now made one jump ring. To
continue, repeat the same process. Blunt-cut the end, reverse your pliers and
snip off your jump ring.
Grip one end of
the jump ring with your chain nose pliers and the other with your flat nose pliers.
Toggle the two ends back and forth 3-4 times to work-harden the metal. When you
want to open and close jump rings, use this same motion.
MAKING THE HEAD
PINS
Cut
a 12" piece of 18-gauge wire and a 12" piece of 16-gauge wire. These
lengths will allow you to make numerous head pins. You will use the 18-gauge wire
to make head pins for smaller beads and the 16-gauge for larger ones.
With your chain
or flat nose pliers, grasp your developing spiral. Point your pliers straight
in front of you. Hold your pliers hand stationary and, with your free thumb, ease
the tail of the wire next to the spiral.
Grasp the wire
right next to the spiral and 1/4" down the jaw of your round nose pliers.
The spiral should be facing your body. Use your free thumb to press the wire against
the pliers while rotating your hand away from your body. Release the pliers when
you can go no further, reset your pliers, and continue until a circle is formed.
Continue wrapping until the tail of the wire is perpendicular to your developing
head pin.
Insert
your chain nose pliers into the top of the circle. With your free index finger,
press the tail towards your body until the tail forms a straight line above the
spiral.
Insert the tail
of the wire through your bead. You will now make an “eye” above your
bead which will allow you to attach it to the S-link using a jump ring.
Grasp
the joint of the “eye” with the tip of your chain nose pliers and rotate
your hand towards your body to create a bend. Insert your round nose pliers firmly
into the eye, and rotate your hand away from your body to create the finished
“eye.” It should be sitting proudly on top of your bead.
Here
is an alternative head pin design. Using a 12" piece of wire, insert one
end through your bead/pearl. Select the wire gauge that will fit through the bead
hole. Pearls have pretty small cavities, so you may need 22- or 20-gauge wire.
Grasp the tail
1-1/2" from the bead (this will vary depending on where you place the wire
on your round nose pliers). Rotate your hand away from your body to form a circle.
Release and reset, and continue rotating until you have formed two complete circles.
The double circles should be sitting close to the bead with enough allowance for
wrapping. Knowing where to place your pliers on the wire to end up in this position
takes some practice. As in Step 13, once you find the magic placement on your
pliers, mark it with an indelible pen. With your chain nose pliers at the joint,
rotate your hand towards your body to create a bend.
Insert your round
nose pliers into the circle, or “eye,” so that the tail is in front
of and free of the pliers. With your free hand, take hold of the tail and wrap
it one or two times (motion is away from the body) around the wire below the “eye.”
Snip the tail close to the joint and, with your chain nose pliers, ease that little
tail neatly into place.
MAKING THE
SPIRALS 
Use
14-gauge wire to make a substantial spiral. Consider hammering the spiral to make
it even stronger. 8" of 14-gauge wire will make a spiral that is about 3/4"
in diameter. Smaller spirals can be made with 16-gauge wire. Follow Steps 9 and
10 above to form the spiral. Keep wrapping until you achieve the desired size.
When you reach the end, simply grasp the tail with your round nose pliers (very
little wire peeking through) and rotate your hand away from your body to form
the eye.
ASSEMBLY AND
ANTIQUING 
To antique your
bracelet (optional), move outdoors to avoid inhaling the noxious fumes. Boil 2
cups of water. Pour the water into a small glass bowl that you will use only for
antiquing purposes. Add a pea-size chunk of liver of sulfur to the water and stir.
Do not breathe the fumes. Dunk your bracelet into the water for about 5 seconds
or until it turns a steel gray. Remove the bracelet and rinse it in clean water.
Let it dry. With .04 steel wool, rub off all the darkened silver areas. Use a
polishing cloth to bring a nice sheen to your silver.
