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The What's What Of Findings. |
By:
Terri Batsakis |
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The what's what of findings.
by Terri Batsakis
As with all industries, beading has its own terminology. How do you know what each thing is called and what it's used for? This article will shed some light.
One of the most common confusing terms in beading is 'findings'. These are all the metal components used in beading. The metal can vary from nickel, to sterling silver to gold. As with the metal, size and length also varies depending on the items use.
Head pins are pins that look a little like a fine nail. They have a long wire with a flat top on one end. The flat section can also be replaced by other shapes such as stars or hearts. That end is used to prevent the beads from sliding off the pin. Once all the required beads have been threaded onto the wire, the head pin, the non-flat end is then curled into a loop or 'eye' using round nosed pliers. It is onto this eye we attach other pins, clasps, chain etc when beading.
Eye pins are pins that have a curled end, into a small loop, leaving the other end free to pass beads through. Once all beads are passed through, the other end can then also be curled into a small loop. You can then join these small loops to other eye pins , making a series or chain of beaded eye pins. These are very common in bracelets, necklaces or earrings.
Jump rings are round loose little loops that are used to link other findings together. The diameter of the jump rings vary vastly as do their purpose. They can be used as a decorative piece on an elaborate item of jewellery or to link clasps, charms or spacers. Some jump rings are completely circular and cannot be opened others have a slice through one side that can be opened to adjust the size of the jump ring depending on its purpose.
Split rings are very similar to jump rings. They are small loops that loop over a couple of times making them look like little keyrings. They are used as an alternative to jump rings. They are more suited for heavy linking than jump rings as they do not open up as easily as jump rings. Perfect for linking bracelets clasps.
Parrot Clasps are clasps shaped in the form of a parrot's beak, hence the name. They are perfect for all sorts of jewellery making from bracelets, to necklaces, to bag charms.
Lobster clasps serve the same purpose as the Parrot clasps, though there appearance varies slightly. They look more like the lobster's pincer and so they are named.
Barrel clasps are clasps with two sides to them. Each side is attached to either end of the necklace or bracelet using a jump ring, split ring, eyepin or tiger tail, and then screw into each other, clasping the two ends together. There name also comes from their appearance, which is a little like a small barrel.
Toggle clasps also have 2 sides to them. One is a round part (though the shape could vary and be heart shaped or triangular even) and the other side is a long bar. They clasp together by passing the bar through the 'round' side.
Tiger Tail is a pliable wire that has synthetic coating. Though it is pliable, it doesn't hold its shape. It is used for threading beads onto, much line pearl thread or fishing line. You cannot tie knots in tiger tail; instead you finish off the ends using crimps.
Crimps are tiny little drilled balls or hollow tubes that are pass through Tiger Tail or other threading material and squashed together with pliers to firmly hold the beads in place.
Charlotte crimps look like little oyster shells with hooks on them. At the join there is a tiny hole. This is where thread, fishing line or tiger tail is passed through. A knot or regular crimp is then used at the tip of the threading material and is hiding by closing the two oyster sides. They are used to beautify pieces by hiding the knots and crimps. The hook is then used to attach the charlotte crimp to a jump ring, split ring, ear hooks or other item.
Ear Hooks or Ear Wires, are what earrings are made with. The hook is the part that goes through the piercing in the earlobe. They are also commonly known as Shepherd Hooks and are so because they look like a shepherd's staff. They also have an 'eye' end, to which you attach the decorative part of the earring.
Bead Caps are decorative or plain cup shaped caps that sit over beads. They can be used for purely decorative purposes or to protect the bead from scratching onto other beads, head pins etc.
Having a bit of a heads up on what's what in findings will help you are buying findings or following a beading pattern. My next article will continue with more goodies.
Author Terri Batsakis runs you through what various silver findings are called and their function, making it easier to understand beading patterns in magazines. This information that will also make is easier when purchasing beads, even if you are just a beginner. You can get a unique content version of this article.
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Article Source: http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article53978.html |
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