TUTORIAL: MAKE A COPPER CHARM BRACELET

                                     Let’s make this beautiful bracelet!

MATERIALS you will need:
1.    7 to 8 inches of copper chain; get yours from here:
2.    1 Bali style toggle clasp; get yours from here:
3.    1 20 gauge copper jump ring
4.    12  22 gauge copper jump rings, pre made, or 7 inches of 22 gauge      copper wire;  optional twisted wire ones
5.    6   2 ¼ inch copper eye pins, or 18 inches of 20 ga copper wire.
6. 5 or 6 charms of your choice                                                                    Enamel elements are available from   www.metallura.etsy.com

 

COPPER CHAIN AND TOGGLE

COPPER JUMP RINGS

COPPER EYE PINS

                                              BASIC TOOLS you will need:

             1. flush cutter   2. flat nose pliers    3. chain nose pliers

                                         OPTIONAL TOOLS you will need:

 

              1. A 16 penny nail or something of similar size diameter

              2. A chasing hammer to harden the jump rings

              3. An anvil, or bench block to hammer on

              4. Round nose pliers for making spiral starts

 STEP 1
Measure your wrist with the chain and add an optional ½ inch. Cut the chain with the flush cutter. The toggle will add 1 additional inch to the length.
                                                                                                  
STEP 2
Look at the toggle clasp. There is one jump ring holding the 2 parts together.
Take them apart: using the 2 pliers gently grasp the edges of the center ring and open it toward and away from you. Take one part of the clasp off, leaving it open.   TOGGLE CLASP

Now put the extra 20-gauge jump
ring on the 2nd part of the toggle.

2ND JUMP RING ATTACHED

                                                                     

 STEP 3

Attach the clasp at each end of your chain. and close the rings with the 2 pliers, pushing the edges towards the center.  Open and close all jump rings this way.

Now try it on. If you are happy with the fit, continue with step 4.  

ATTACH TOGGLE TO CHAIN

                                         
If it is too big, you can cut the chain off, and reapply the toggle, or allow the chain to dangle, making it adjustable in the future.   


MAKE IT ADJUSTABLE

STEP 4

Make the spiral elements using this wonderful tutorial here: http://www.beadingdaily.com/blogs/daily/archive/2008/12/07/create-perfect-wire-spiral-free-video-demo.aspx

That is where I learned to make them. Use the 6 eye pins for this, or make your own: cut the 20gauge wire into 2 ½ inch lengths.     
                                           COLORED COPPER SPIRALS

You can use permanently colored copper wire for the spirals 

and for some of the jump rings if you like.

      

         

I bought this colored copper wire at Joann’s:

You can also make fun spirals and other shapes using vinyl covered paper clips.
Be careful that the pliers don’t scratch off the color, or tear the vinyl.
I used a piece of cloth between the pliers’ teeth and the wire to protect it.

STEP 5   IS OPTIONAL:    MAKE YOUR OWN JUMP RINGS

Make the jump rings by winding the 22 gauge copper wire around the 16 penny nail, or whatever tool you have substituted. Make the coils tight and even, pushing them down against the nail head. When you have enough wraps, pull the coil off the nail. Now cut each ring with the flush cutter, one at a time, making sure that each cut edge is flush and straight. You can pound each ring with a light hammer on a small anvil, or bench plate to work harden it, or just bend the 2 edges back and forth, open and closed a few times.

                                              WIND WIRE ON A NAIL

I was out of 22 gauge wire, so I wound 2 lengths of 24 gauge wire together to make the spiral jump rings. I like the way they mirror the wire on the Bali style toggle. SPIRAL JUMP RINGS

                     HAMMER THE RINGS                    

                                                           

 STEP 6
Lay out your spirals and 5 or 6 charms out along the chain.
When you are pleased with the design, start putting the charms on the chain.
Make sure that the chain is laying flat and is not twisted.

                                                                   LAYOUT YOUR CHARMS
               

Put 1 charm at each end of the chain, ½ inch in from the toggle.
Find the center and put one there, also.

Now find the center between those 2, and put the 4th and 5th charm,
spacing them evenly.

If you have allowed the extra chain to hang down from the  toggle, you can add a charm to the end of the chain.

Now add the spiral elements in between each charm.

Voila! You are done!