Mixed Metals

mixed

metals creating contemporary jewelry with silver, gold, copper, brass, and more

danielle

fox & melinda barta

project name 1

2

mixed metals

gold-filled gold-plated brass metallic lucite beads

adorning

aphrodite Bright brass floral bead caps morph into olive-branch crowns when strung around the rose Lucite beads used in this fit-fora-goddess necklace. Ambrosia anyone?

Materials

tools

8 erinite 6mm crystal rounds 12 gold-painted 9mm Lucite rounds 16 dusty rose 10x14mm vintage Lucite ovals 1 brass/pink/blue 38x49mm brass pendant with rose-and-blue polymer clay inset 20 raw brass 12mm leaf bead caps 1 gold-plated 17mm round box clasp 1 antique brass 3x4mm oval jump ring 2 gold-filled 2mm crimp tubes 2 gold-filled 3mm crimp covers

Crimping pliers 2 pairs of chain- or flat-nose pliers Wire cutters

Finished size 16½"

19½" of gold satin .018 beading wire

adorning aphrodite 3

4

mixed metals

thai silver sterling silver gunmetal brass pewter

feather your nest

metallic seed beads

A medley of bird-themed beads and charms were carefully collected for this sweet bracelet and matching pair of earrings.

tools

Materials for necklace: 8 metallic frosted clay size 8˚ seed beads 6 powder blue 4mm (small) potato pearls 5 powder blue 6–8mm (large) potato pearls 3 mottled 13x15mm lampworked egg beads 2 antique glass 12mm irregular rings 1 sterling silver/glass 14x32mm “good egg” photo charm 2 natural brass 6x4mm flower spacers 2 pewter 10mm bird-print rounds 4 sterling silver 12x4mm nest beads 2 sterling silver 18x8mm bird beads 5 Thai silver 8x13mm maple leaf charms 4 sterling silver 9x13mm egg-and-nest links 3 raw brass 17x16mm bird links 4 natural brass 17x16mm bird charms 1 sterling silver 20mm bird cut-out charm

1 sterling silver 12x24mm bird toggle clasp 5 natural brass 7x2mm petal bead caps 5 natural brass 24-gauge 1½" head pins 7 natural brass 22-gauge 2" head pins 4 sterling silver 4mm jump rings 1 sterling silver 6mm jump ring 3 antique brass 4mm jump rings 4 antique brass 7mm jump rings 5 natural brass 4mm jump rings 9 natural brass 5mm jump rings 1 natural brass 7mm jump ring 2 natural brass 9.5mm etched jump rings 6½" (19 links) of antique brass etched 7x11mm oval chain 6" of gunmetal 24-gauge craft wire

Wire cutters Chain-nose pliers Round-nose pliers

Finished size 7"

feather your nest 5

project

gallery

fool for gold necklace

comet & cupid bracelet

we heart pewter necklace

6

mixed metals

first lady

earrings

silvered buds earrings

rosies posies necklace

enamel amour necklace

silver shade bracelet project gallery 7

mix it up with mixed metals! change up your jewelry repertoire with metal! Create fabulous

contemporary jewelry featuring a variety of metal beads, charms, chains, and findings with Mixed Metals. The editors of Stringing and Beadwork magazines show off their design skills with a range of unique projects featuring various kinds of metals. Projects are constructed using basic stringing and wirework techniques that are accessible to beginners, while the boutique style designs will captivate the more experienced beader. Insider readers will find:

+ A detailed how-to jewelry basics section covering all techniques needed to create projects in the book: stringing, crimping, knotting, wireworking, oxidizing metals, and more + 30 original jewelry projects featuring matching sets ranging from necklaces, bracelets, and earrings + Chapters devoted to each type of metal (gold, silver, base metals, faux metals, and mixed metals), their properties, shopping tips, and care and cleaning information Most metal jewelry books focus on creating the metal components either with PMC, wireworking, or metalsmithing. Mixed Metals is so much easier, focusing on making jewelry with pre-made metal beads, charms, chain, and components combined with accent beads using simple stringing and wireworking techniques. No metalworking required!

Paperbound, 8½ x 9, 128 pages 110 photographs, 20 illustrations ISBN 978-1-59668-092-0 $22.95 May 2009

danielle Fox is the editor of Stringing

magazine and author of Simply Modern Jewelry. Prior to working at Interweave, she was an editor at House Beautiful magazine in New York City and an editor at Colorado Homes & Lifestyles magazine in Englewood, Colorado. melinda barta is managing editor of Beadwork and Stringing magazines and the former projects editor of PieceWork magazine. She has a BFA degree in fiber arts and a minor in apparel design from Colorado State University and is the author of Hip to Stitch (Interweave).