crimp too tight - need advice

Okay, I know how to make a crimp. I've made hundreds and I do them
pretty well. I even make sure not to get my 'wires crossed' before
the crimp. Here's my problem: I don't like wire to show so I pull my
necklace pretty taught and sometimes my beading wire gets funky and
the necklace gets skewed. It's made harder by the fact that I use the
wire guards (which I love) because I have to have that piece of wire
pulled tight before the crimp and I end up pulling too taught.

I think my real problem is that I've never read anything about leaving
"wiggle room" before crimping so I feel I have to pull it taught to
get the beads as close together as possible. Then I put a crimp cover
over my bead.

What is the best way to leave a little wiggle room so the necklace is
loosy goosey without showing much wire, and what is deemed an
appropriate amount of wire to show and where should that wire show?

Thanks.

Libbi

This is actually something I'm pretty good at. I've received quite a
few complements on it and have even been told my necklaces are
"flowing". :-)
I'm not sure if it's something I'm doing or if it's pure luck. Heavy
necklaces are more difficult. I normally try to leave about 1/8th
inch between the last bead and the crimp.
A few times I have left too much.. so I added an extra crimp cover
between the crimp and the last bead. But remember.. if you resort to
the double crimp cover option, you need to have enough slack in your
necklaces for TWO (one on each end) and still have the extra 1/8th
inch give.

I know I've got it right when I can hold the (closed) necklace over my
hand and both sides fall against my skin.. with no wire displaying at
the bend.

Good luck!
-m.

www.jewelrybychaddock.com

On Jul 21, 5:10 am, chaddock wrote:
This is actually something I'm pretty good at. I've received quite a
few complements on it and have even been told my necklaces are
"flowing". :-)
I'm not sure if it's something I'm doing or if it's pure luck. Heavy
necklaces are more difficult. I normally try to leave about 1/8th
inch between the last bead and the crimp.
A few times I have left too much.. so I added an extra crimp cover
between the crimp and the last bead. But remember.. if you resort to
the double crimp cover option, you need to have enough slack in your
necklaces for TWO (one on each end) and still have the extra 1/8th
inch give.

I know I've got it right when I can hold the (closed) necklace over my
hand and both sides fall against my skin.. with no wire displaying at
the bend.

Good luck!
-m.

www.jewelrybychaddock.com

Mary,

I was hoping you or somebody else who crimps on a regular basis would
reply,
glad you did, as I don't crimp that much, but ...

I'm wondering whether the stringing material may have something to do
with
it, don't have problems with SoftFlex - as well as quite possibly the
shape of
the beads. -
I can see that it would be much harder to get a "flow" when you're
stringing cube
beads or cylinder beads without spacers with 'round ends' (not flat
spacers, they'd
be counterproductive) in between than when stringing round, bicone,
rice, or other
beads with 'round ends'.

Aloha,
Maren
HiloBeads: Beads - Beading Supplies - Hand-made Jewelry
http://www.hilobeads.com/
Blog at: http://hilobeads.blogspot.com/

Looks like you are right about the bead shape. I happen to have a
necklace I just finished for a special order, it's 8mm Swarovski
Bicones.. no spacers, not nothing.. just crystals. I had to go back
and look at it to check, but it looks like about 1/4" between the
crimp and the last bead. The flow is great and now wire shows on the
hang. 1/8th inch would have made it too tight.

(You are probably right about the wire type too.)

Maybe there really isn't a "formula", just trial, error and
instinct. :-/

-m.

www.jewelrybychaddock.com

On Jul 21, 6:21 pm, Maren at google wrote:


Aloha,
Maren
HiloBeads: Beads - Beading Supplies - Hand-made Jewelryhttp://www.hilobeads.com/
Blog at:http://hilobeads.blogspot.com/

I usually lay out my necklaces or bracelets in a circle on the table to
see how the beads will be arranged when worn, then crimp accordingly.
Barbara

Bead & Polymer Clay Habitué

There is a very fine line between a hobby and mental illness. (Dave Barry)

http://www.penguintrax.com
http://www.polymerclayworkshops.com



wrote:
Okay, I know how to make a crimp. I've made hundreds and I do them
pretty well. I even make sure not to get my 'wires crossed' before
the crimp. Here's my problem: I don't like wire to show so I pull my
necklace pretty taught and sometimes my beading wire gets funky and
the necklace gets skewed. It's made harder by the fact that I use the
wire guards (which I love) because I have to have that piece of wire
pulled tight before the crimp and I end up pulling too taught.

I think my real problem is that I've never read anything about leaving
"wiggle room" before crimping so I feel I have to pull it taught to
get the beads as close together as possible. Then I put a crimp cover
over my bead.

What is the best way to leave a little wiggle room so the necklace is
loosy goosey without showing much wire, and what is deemed an
appropriate amount of wire to show and where should that wire show?

Thanks.

Libbi