Chain nosed pliers are a really handy tool to have whether you are learning how to make hairpins or you've advanced to the expert level. They can pick up beads easily, grab short wires, loosen knots and make sharp bends in wire, to name a few. This tool is Highly Recommended It will make your life easier while learning how to make hairpins.
A single tool can range in price from a few dollars to nearly $100.00. Invest wisely.
The BEAD BOARD
The Bead board can be found in craft departments, craft stores and online and can cost anywhere between $3.00 to $20.00. They hold the beads you selected to use for your project. The grooves will keep your beads from rolling around.
All jewelry designers, from the novice, learning how to make hairpins, to the expert spread out their beads and rearrange them to get the most appealing combination. The bead board helps make this easier.
If you are planning a limited beading career, just making a few pieces of jewelry after learning how to make hairpins, you can also work on a terry cloth towel (very short nap) or a piece of velvet material to keep your beads in one place.
No matter how careful you are, some beads will fall on the floor. I guarantee it! Therefore, it's best not to work over a plush carpet The beads will quickly sink between the fibers and you may never find some of them.
Considering the large numbers of 2mm sterling silver beads in my carpet, when I sell my home, I'm adding on an extra $500 to the price for the added attraction of a "Treasure Hunt for Lost Treasure" that awaits the new owner!
Magnifying Glass
If needed, a hands free magnifying glass can make learning how to make hairpins even more enjoyable. You'll string your beads easily and quickly.
How to Make Hairpins
BEADS USED IN HAIR JEWELRY
BEADS
The number of bead colors, sizes, materials, shapes, etc. are daunting. If you can imagine it, it's out there. It's easy to get caught up in a buying frenzie, so start with a shopping list of the beads you'll need when practicing how to make hairpins.Swarovski Crystal Beads are thought by most to be the finest crystal in the world and are one of the most popular beads used by beaders. These are pricey and your bill can add up quickly.
Many shapes are available but I like using bicones the best. They are, relatively, reasonably priced, their angles catch and reflect light beautifully and are available in almost all Swarovski colors and effects.
Swarovski Effects refers to the special coating on some of the crystal beads which give them a different or unusual appearance.The name of the special effect follows the name of the color of the bead, ex: Sapphire AB(aurora borealis) and satin.
The term BEAD is loosely used to describe anything you can string onto something. Generally, beads can be broken into 2 categories - top-drilled/pendants and beads, with the term "bead" referring to most everything other than top-drilled. Beads usually have the hole through the middle.
The only time this is important to know is when you are searching for a particular style in a breading catalog or on line. Many of these terms are interchangeable, so take care to get what you want.
A few basic beads and stringing(or attachment) techniques will meet most hair jewelry needs.
The picture on the top left shows numerous flat beads and a bobbie pin with an attached flat disc (Fire Mountain) Using E6000 glue, simply glue a flat bead on to the disc at the end of the bobbie pin, position and hold the two together until the bond is secure. Give the piece at least 24 hours to completely dry. You've just made your 1st piece of hair jewelry.
The second picture (on the right) has the addition of a perforated disk. You can use this to make bead clusters and will be described on the next page "DIY Hairpins" where I will give instructions on how to make specific examples of hair jewelry.
The third picture on the left shows Swarovski beads called bicones. The hole is at the top and, therefore, it is referred to as top drilled" or "pendants".
The fourth picture (on the right) shows a wire going through a pendant style bicone and a round bead with the hole through the middle.
The last two pictures in the bottom row demonstrates a stringing technique used when you need a bead, with the hole drilled through the middle, to be strung or hang as a pendant. String a wire through the hole add a very small bead and then string the wire back through the bead. The hole must be large enough for your wire to go through twice.
Bead Chips
My last words about beads will be about bead chips.
I don't have any exampled of hair jewelry made with bead chips but I have used them in bracelets and necklaces. See the section on "Sets Special Occasions" (Navigation Bar on left margin) Morning Mist Necklace and Bracelet.
I bring these up because they are a good way to incorporate some, usually expensive gemstones, inexpensively into your designs.
The picture above, with 5 groups of gemstones, shows the wide range of chip sizes available.The stones at the 9 o'clock position are large enough to be considered nuggets. The other 4 groups would be considered chips.
Notice hoe small and thin the chips are in the group on the lower right side (about the 4 o'clock position). These are usuallt referred to as mini chips, or at least "small" will be wsed in the description.
FYI: I find these difficult to work with. The holes are hard to find and he chips are often broken and unusable.Choose the size that fits your design
How to Make Hairpins
BARRETTES, BOBBIE PINS, CLASPS
The base for your hair jewelry can be found in many places - on beading supply websites, in grocery stores, beauty supply stores, etc. You probably have a few possibilities already in the back of a drawer that you could practice with while learning how to make hairpins.
If a plain hair clip has a hole to stick a string through or a place to wrap a wire around, it can be used to make hair jewelry!
Keep in mind that when finished with your hairpin, in most instances, the hairpin will still need to clasp firmly shut. Take care not to block or hinder the clasp with wires, glues. etc., when practicing how to make hairpins.
How to Make Hairpins
The Square Knot
My Father was in the Navy in both WWI and WW2. As a child, he taught me several knots but it's the square knot that I found most useful. This knot holds tightly and doesn't slip. It's great for knotting flexible wire when finishing a project. Even though the knot holds firm, always add a drop of glue to it, just to be safe and if possible, string your ends back through several, already secured, wires and/or beads.
Picture #1
The basic technique of a square knot is RIGHT OVER LEFT and LEFT OVER RIGHT. It's that simple.
This first picture shows the brown cord on the RIGHT being placed OVER the white cord on the LEFT.
Picture #2
This shows the brown cord going behind and under the white cord as you would do to complete a common overhand knot.
Picture #3
After you've completed the last step, the brown cord is now on the LEFT and the white cord is on the RIGHT.
Remember - RIGHT OVER LEFT and LEFT OVER RIGHT.
In this second part of the knot, take the brown cord on the LEFT and put it over the white cord now on the RIGHT
Picture #4
This picture shows the brown cord going behind and under the white cord to complete the knot.
Picture #5
The tightened knot resembles the figure eight.
The Overhand Knot is the basic knot we use everyday. It can be used as an end knot to keep the last (or First) bead in place.
The Surgeon's Knot is a Square Knot, but in the last step, the cord on the left goes behind and under the cord on the right an extra time for added security.
Go to DIY Hairpins from How to Make Hairpins
Go to DIY Hairpins Advanced Techniques
Go to DIY Ornaments
Go to HOME from How to Make Hairpins
