Garnet Glitz

I've decided to try my hand at making more jewelry this year. You could say it's a kind of New Year's resolution to practice some jewelry making techniques. So to start, I'm making a garnet bracelet and earring set for January. I got the idea for this bracelet and earring set from a craft magazine and decided to make a few changes to it to use findings and materials I had on hand. If you didn't know, garnet is January's gemstone.

Here's a picture of the finished bracelet all shiny and pretty. To complete this project, you'll need some silver chain, 4mm and 6mm jump rings, garnet colored glass beads, a toggle clasp, jewelry wire, crimp tubes, and some pewter findings.

First things first, cut your chain into 10 lengths of 2 and 1/8 inches. 5 pieces of chain get slipped onto a 4mm jump ring, and then another jump ring is added to the opposite side of the chains. You do this twice to make two sets of dangly chain pieces.

Next, add the toggle clasps, one to each chain set with a 6mm jump ring. On the opposite side of one of those sets, loop jewelry wire onto the 4mm jump ring and set with a crimp tube. Then you'll thread a bicone, a pewter finding, a bicone, a pewter finding, and finally another bicone, onto the wire. Finish the bracelet off by making another loop around the unused chain set and secure with another crimp tube to the unused chain set.

Done! This was a great way for me to start my beading practice because there was just enough technique involved to make it interesting but no crazy wire wrapping to make me frustrated. Check out our blog next week for the next installment; we're finishing up this set with a pair of matching garnet glitz earrings.

Thanks for reading!
Puna @ Enchanted Lake

P.S. If you're thinking that this would make a great Valentine's Day gift, you're really on top of things. Scroll down to see today's episode of Crankin' Out Crafts featuring a fun Valentine's idea.