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Eye Pin Variations |
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"Once objects have been cut loose
from their contexts and packed off to new homes, they lose some
of their collective memory stored up within them. But their forms
and textures endure. Those who are able and wish to do so are
at liberty to read them, draw them out in new and different ways,
grant them a new lease on life. This, too, makes collecting an
art: the process of renewal". Borel and Taylor, The
Splendor of Ethnic Jewelry |
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Below you will find four examples of how to add some style to
your eye pin. It may seem trivial but even the size of
the eye makes a difference in the overall effect of your design.
If you feel adventurous create your own variations of the eye
pin. For your convenience, please click on the images below to
see an enlarged view. |
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What You Need
- Jeweler's saw
- Tubing cutter jig
- Round nose pliers
- Chain nose pliers
- Flat nose pliers
- Wire cutters
- Chasing hammer
- Steel bench block
- Silver tubing
- 16 gauge silver wire
- 20 gauge silver wire
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Click on thumbnails to see an enlargement. |
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Eye Pins with Tubing |
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When you use beads that are highly detailed you should avoid
overwhelming the vision with too many complicated wire designs.
One reason some wire jewelry is less appealing than others
is due to a lack of visual rest. In other words, the design is
so busy that your eye is overwhelmed with the design. Using eye
pins encased in tubing is an elegant solution for creating
visual rest, and in a sense, contrast to the beads. Detail versus
simplicity. Here is an example of a necklace
made with silver tubing. Please see The
Saw in my Studio Tour for information on how to cut the tubing.
After the tubing is cut, insert the wire through the tubing and
make eyes on either side. Another option is to use eye pins without
the silver tubing as links in your jewelry. They are a little
less substantial, but if you don't want the expense of the tubing,
a saw, and a tubing jig, try these out. |
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Hammered Eyes (sounds
gruesome) |
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By hammering the upper area of the eyes with your chasing hammer
you can create a nice variation. After hammering you will need
to coax the circle closed with your round nose pliers. |
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Eye Pins and Coils |
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You can create an interesting link by coiling the neck of the
eye pin. Make a double eye pin out of 16 gauge wire or heavier
if you wish. Then wrap the neck with a finer wire such as 20
gauge. See the section on Coils for further
instructions. |
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Double Wrapped Eye Pins |
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Follow the instructions for the Wrapped
Eye Pin, but instead, wrap twice as you make the eye. |
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Previous Page
Jump Rings |
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Please contact
me if these instructions aren't clear so adjustments can
be made.
Click here to download
a printer friendly Acrobat PDF file of this page. |
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