Squares With Flair: Beading Jewelry

beading & jewelryprojects
Squares with Flair

Vanessa Walilko
Jim Lawson
Originally published in
Step by Step Wire Jewelry, June-July 2010
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Squares with Flair originally published in Step by Step Wire Jewelry, June-July 2010. Interweave Press, LLC Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved
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page 1
skill level
tools & supplies

18-gauge, 532" (4mm) ID sterling silver
jump rings (F18), 444
16-gauge, 9/32" (7.1mm) ID sterling silver
jump rings (N16), 40
jump rings (L16), 10
jump rings (D17), 6
20mm crystal volcano
CRYSTALLIZEDSwarovski Elements
square rings, 5
Sterling 3-loop slide clasp
Flat nose pliers, 2 pair
Resources: Kits and pliers available at Blue
Buddha Boutique, bluebuddhaboutique.com.
squares with flair

Japanese weave with crystal squares.
BY VANESSA WALILKO
Japanese weaves are characterized by their use of

alternating horizontal and vertical jump rings. With the
right size rings, you can use Japanese weaves to make
dense, sculptural chain maille objects.
For this project, I wanted to create something solid, yet
dazzling. Using CRYSTALLIZEDSwarovski Elements
and nearly 3 oz. of sterling silver, this is a piece that
everyone will notice, and something you will cherish for
a lifetime.
page 2
wire tips
Open the large and medium
jump rings wide in order to avoid
scratching the surface of the
crystal with the ends of the wire.
However, it can be difficult to close
rings that have been opened wide.
A trick to make closing these rings
easier is to grip both of the ring
within the jaws of a pair of pliers
and squeeze them together. When
one side of a crystal square,

1 Toattach
the following rings: two
one small ring (18-gauge, / "

2 Open
ID) and pick up four closed small
large (16-gauge, 9/32" ID), one medium

(16-gauge, 14" ID), and two large.
rings. Weave the open small ring through

the medium silver ring hanging from the
crystal square, and close. Weave another
open small ring through the same path.
the ends of the ring are closer
32
together, youll be able to close the

ring as normal.
I strongly recommend that you
dip your pliers in Tool Magic. It
will keep you from marring your
sterling rings or scratching the
crystal squares, but unlike bulkier
methods of coating your pliers, it
will give you the room to weave
the small rings in tight areas of the
project.
Use an open small jump ring to

the group of four small hanging
4
3 Split
connect the remaining hanging
rings into two groups of two. Weave
a small jump ring through the two
rightmost hanging small jump rings, plus
the two large jump rings on the right side
of the crystal square. Weave another
small jump ring through the same path.
small jump rings to the large jump rings

on the left-hand side of the square. Add
another small ring through the same
path.
four small rings. Open a new

this group of hanging rings
two small jump rings through
6 Close
7 Split
5 Weave
small ring and add the four rings
into two sets of two as in Step 3.
each of the horizontal rings that you
added in the previous steps. These will
hang vertically.
you just closed. Before closing, weave

the open ring through the middle set of
hanging vertical rings and close. Add a
second small ring through the same path.
Weave an open small jump ring through

the two rightmost hanging rings and the
two vertical rings on the right side of the
piece. Add a second small ring through
the same path.
page 3
wire tips
Horizontal rings mean that the
hole is facing you when looking
straight at the piece. Vertical
rings mean that the wire of the
ring is facing you.
a small jump ring to connect
Repeat Steps 58 on the new set of
8 Use
9
the leftmost hanging rings with the
horizontal rings.
two vertical rings on the left side of the
piece. Add a second small ring through
the same path.
a medium jump ring wide,

two large jump rings to
10 Open
11 Use
and pick up another crystal
connect the right side of the
two more large jump rings to

12 Use
connect the left side of the square
square. Weave through the middle set of

horizontal rings before closing.
with the leftmost set of horizontal jump

rings. You now have the base of the first
chain maille square.
square with the rightmost set of

horizontal jump rings.
Author Name
Bio tttktkt ktktktk

tktkttktkt ktktkt kt
the four sets of vertical

13 Identify
rings radiating out from the
rings you just added are highlighted in purple. Youll orient them vertically
14 The
and connect them with new rings, shown in green. Open a small ring, weave
horizontal rings in the very center of the

chain maille square. On each set of these
vertical jump rings, attach two small
jump rings.
through the rightmost rings and the uppermost rings, and close. Double this ring.
Work clockwise around the piece until you have connected the rightmost rings with
the bottommost rings, the bottommost with the leftmost, and the leftmost with the
uppermost rings.
page 4
a moment to identify all of the vertical rings on the outline of the chain
Flip the piece over, and repeat
15 Take
16
maille square. Use two small jump rings to attach each set of horizontal jump
Steps 1315 on the bottom of the
rings to the two nearest sets of these vertical jump rings. Connect the horizontal rings
to the vertical rings closest to the crystal squares first, since they will be harder to
weave once the side rings are in place.
Steps 1-16 until you

17 Repeat
have four chain maille squares
chain maille square.
the crystal square at one end

18 On
of the piece, repeat Steps 14.
sandwiched between five crystal

squares.
Vanessa Walilko
is a jewelry artist
specializing in eclectic,
unique beadwork and
chain maille jewelry.
Her chain maille jewelry
has been featured in
local and national fashion shows, and
19
Use three tiny (17-gauge, 1/8"

ID) jump rings to connect the
slide clasp to each set of horizontal
jump rings. Repeat Steps 18 and 19
on the opposite end of the bracelet,
being mindful to line up the slide clasp
correctly.
her bead embroidered Phoenix Reborn

necklace won the Gold Metal Prize
in the Freeform Expression Jewelry
category in the 2007 Fire Mountain
Gems and Beads contest. In her spare
time, Vanessa likes to write about
philosophy and feminism. You can see
her jewelry and other artwork at http://
www.kalibutterfly.com
page 5

Squares With Flair: Beading Jewelry

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beading & jewelryprojects

Squares with Flair

Step by Step Wire Jewelry

tools & supplies

squares with flair

Japanese weaves are characterized by their use of

one side of a crystal square,

one small ring (18-gauge, / "

large (16-gauge, 9/32" ID), one medium

rings. Weave the open small ring through

the ends of the ring are closer

together, youll be able to close the

Use an open small jump ring to

small jump rings to the large jump rings

four small rings. Open a new

you just closed. Before closing, weave

Weave an open small jump ring through

a medium jump ring wide,

two more large jump rings to

square. Weave through the middle set of

with the leftmost set of horizontal jump

square with the rightmost set of

Bio tttktkt ktktktk

the four sets of vertical

horizontal rings in the very center of the

Steps 1-16 until you

chain maille square.

the crystal square at one end

sandwiched between five crystal

Use three tiny (17-gauge, 1/8"

her bead embroidered Phoenix Reborn

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