Tips and techniquesHelpful hints for the September cover project
by Naomi Fujimoto
Published: August 19, 2010
Shopping for metal flowers
To make her own version of the September cover necklace, Michelle Shapiro substituted a 58 mm flower from The Beadin' Path for the largest flower.
You can also find metal flowers (including filigrees) at Jan's Jewelry Supplies.
Or check out Etsy: I searched the Supplies section for "huge metal flowers" and found several good options.
When ordering online, make sure to have your calipers handy so you get an accurate sense of the size of the flowers.
One last option: Incorporate a brooch that's been sitting at the bottom of your jewelry box.
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Punching holes in metal flowers
It's easy to punch holes in a flower that doesn't have loops in its petals.
One option: Use a pliers-style hole punch. Simply line up the petal as desired and squeeze the hole punch. If necessary, gently twist the pliers back and forth.
You can also use a steel hole punch with threads by twisting the handle.
For this project, I prefer the pliers-style hole punch because it's easier to work with on the curved flower petals.
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Attaching center-drilled flowers
Another option for attaching center-drilled flowers:
On a head pin, string center-drilled flowers. Make a wrapped loop (Basics) on the back of the layered flower.
Cut a piece of 20- or 22-gauge wire (the length will vary depending on the size of the flower). String the layered flower and make a plain loop (Basics) on each end.
Use cyanoacrylate glue to secure the harness to the back of the flower.
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Attaching cup connectors
When finishing cup chain, use chainnose pliers to gently squeeze the sides of the cup connector.
If you're looking for a substitute for cup chain, you can follow Michelle's lead: She used 2 mm jump rings to connect 4 mm Swarovski links in Siam and crystal.
Thanks to Michelle for sharing her tips and her stunning necklace!
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