Loops 101
String a bead on a head pin (long non-pointy piece of wire with a pin head at one end), and let it fall to the base of the wire.
Option 1: Above the bead, cut off excess wire using your side-cutter, leaving about 5/8" on top of the bead. Using your round nosed pliers, bend the 5/8" section of wire to a 45-50 degree angle, with the bend close to the top of the bead. Grasp the tip of the wire with your round-nosed pliers and bend it into a circle, with the end ending up touching the base of the wire that is coming out of the bead. It will take some practice to get a nice round look, but it is worth using up a few headpins to practice. You can now secure your bead to an earring finding, a bracelet (like a charm) or anything else. Use the loop you've just created (carefully opening and then re-closing the loop) or use a jump or split ring to hang it.
Option 2: Hold a round nosed pliers just above the bead and grab the wire in the pliers. Your loop is going to be the size of the outside diameter where you are grasping (close to the end and you will have an itty-bitty loop, toward the handle will be a larger loop. Grasp the free end of the wire with a bent-nose pliers and wind it around the round-nose pliers until you form a loop. Clip the excess wire near the stem. If necessary, center the loop above the bead. Headpins come in various lengths, but I prefer the 2 1/2 - 3" ones because they are better for chains (you can always cut off the pin head) or wrapped loops.
Beaded Chain - String a bead on a head pin, an eye pin or a straight piece of wire. If using a head pin, clip off the head from one end. Create round loops at both ends of the bead. These make really fun connectors...you can use a whole series of them connected together to make a chain, or use in chandelier earrings to lengthen your dangles and keep them swinging (a really long straight pin will look stiff and won't sway).
Details, details: If you are making a series of chains, be sure your loops are either flat to each other or at a 90 degree angle from each other.
Wrapped Loops Using the longest head pin you have (3" is what I use), string your bead on the pin. Grasp the excess wire with your round-nosed pliers about .5cm from the bead. Using a bent nosed pliers, grasp the free end (at the VERY end) of the wire and wind it around the pliers. You will make a slightly misshapen round loop (can be fixed later or left a little off if you like ). Continue to wrap the excess wire around the base of the loop, all the way down to the bead - about 3-4 loops very close to each other. Again, it takes a little practice (and a firm grip ) to get it perfected, but it looks VERY cool, and there are tons of possibilities!!! Using a side-cutters or nail clipper (you need something that can get close to the finished wrap) cut off the excess wire. Be careful, sometimes it will go flying! To finish, use a crimping plier to get the end of the wrap flush to the stem of the loop.
