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A lot of the jewelry I make has to fit into one of 3 different categories:
- My stash is overflowing. I’m running out of space. I need to do something with this stuff!
- Oh, goodness do I need that bracelet. What? It’s how much? Screw that.
- If I do this this way, it will be super easy, because I want to make something and I don’t want to struggle with it because I just don’t have the patience today…
This project full under the it was super easy category. In fact, I made this in the morning about an hour before leaving for a business meeting. I had intended only to get it started and some tutorial pics taken, but it just came together that quickly! And, in the end I decided to change it up from how it appeared in my head a weensy bit and I feel like this was a totally successful project!
Unfortunately this bracelet is currently under the seat of my car because I keep forgetting to dig it out. You see, a giant, leaf-like, grasshopper type of freaky as all get out bug that was AT LEAST 3 inches long and another inch tall jumped onto my steering wheel while I was doing 70 down the highway. In traffic. In the melee (read waving my arms around my face to keep it from getting on my face – not that it did)I lost this bracelet under the seat of my car.
And after opening up all four doors of my vehicle at a truck stop and trying to usher freaky creature out with a tiny notepad I decided when I succeeded that rather than digging the bracelet out I should just leave. Because people. were. staring. Who knows what kind of authorities were called… “yeah – there’s this insane lady yelling at her car with all of the doors open pulled all weird in the parking lot waving a little 2-3 inch notebook around. I think she’s crying.”
To make your own jump ring chain you will need:
- 9mm jump rings – I used 77 total for a bracelet
- matching clasp, I like using magnetic because it’s easier to put on by yourself
- pliers
- jump ring tool, optional but a total godsend
Grab your supplies, including a whole mess of jump rings. Start opening up small pile so that you can easily grab and go. I just opened up a about 10 and opened up a few more and a few more until I finished the bracelet up.
Run a jump ring through one end of your clasp and get ready to start making your chain.
While your jump ring is still open, slide 3 closed jump rings on and then close the ring back up.
Continue building your chain. Run an open jump ring through your previous three, add three unopened rings on and close back up.
And this is how the chain is turning out as I’m working on it. I was amazed at how quickly it was coming together.
Try out the chain every once in a while and see if it is a good length for a necklace, or bracelet or whatever you’re making.
When you reach that point, add one final jump ring and attach to the other end of your closure (or to act as the other end if using a lobster clasp, for example).
And there she is, all finished up (the first time)! I was a bit surprised at how it didn’t hold shape as well as I thought it would.
So I tried it on and decided that it was lacking something.
So I went in and added two more jump rings onto the singles.
And it really bulked it up and looked more like I had hoped in my head.
I paired it with my floating peacock bracelet I made last week, and rocked them out!
In conclusion this bracelet is beyond easy to make and it’s pretty inexpensive, too. I purchased a bag of 120 jump rings for 50% off of $4.99 at Hobby Lobby and I still have a little under half of the bag left which is a pretty good price if you ask me.
Will you be connecting up some jump rings?
