Have you looked at the gold rate today? Gold prices are soaring. At the beginning of 2020 gold pricing rose five hundred dollars an ounce. The highest in a decade, according to Monex Precious Metals. Gold is the most popular precious metal to invest in. The price is volatile and not reliably constant. While this volatility may be good for risk takers, it does not bode well for making jewelry and selling your work at a low cost. 24k Gold plated beading wire is getting expensive! Today, we are going to look at our favorite solution for making gold jewelry. Our Extreme Flex Champagne color is a soft and muted gold tone. We love it. We think you will too.
Don't pay outrageous prices for gold! We all love the alluring look of glamorous gold, but the cost of our favorite precious metal is just not worth it at the moment. We have decided to delay manufacturing our gold wire until the cost lowers to a point where it is not going to break the bank to produce and sell. Our Extreme Flex 24k Gold will eventually return. But for the time being, we want you to see how wonderful our Champagne color is. We will look at this captivating color. We will show you some free jewelry making project ideas. We will give you some tips on how you can use this wire to make gorgeous jewelry. Let's drink in the elegant color!
Champagne Color Soft Flex Is Your Affordable Gold Solution
Extreme Flex Champagne is a great way to cut gold costs. Our Champagne is a soft and muted gold tone. It doesn't have sonorous energy of gold. But it does have a mature and elegant look that is perfect for your next jewelry design. In the last fifty years, gold has leapt from forty dollars an ounce to two thousand dollars an ounce. As much as we love gold, it is just not a reliable design choice. If you are stringing jewelry to resell it, you are going to have a hard time pricing your work so that it sells. Nobody wants to pay through a heap of extra money for a design that once cost a couple bucks. Champagne has a stunning look that won't break the bank.
We love our Extreme Flex. Extreme is our 'green' beading wire. Every spool of Extreme is Earth friendly and recyclable. The wire contains no heavy metals. It is a gentle beading wire that really shines. If you want to create a necklace that sparkles, this wire should be your go to. Extreme is currently available in Sterling Silver plated and Champagne color. It is terrific for illusion style jewelry. It is also an ideal wire for kumihimo or macrame when you want to expose the wire. You will love the drape and look of this stunning wire.
Champagne Color Extreme Flex Wire
Soft Flex Extreme Wire is the world's first eco-friendly beading wire.
Soft Flex Extreme Wire is a beading wire, free of heavy metals, for designers that want to add sparkle and shine to a piece that exposes the wire. Soft Flex Extreme Wire will not tarnish and is great for free floating necklaces and pendants. Soft Flex Extreme Wire is constructed of 1x19 micro woven metal alloy wires. It is supple enough that it can be knotted. It is available in 3 diameters: .014, .019, and .024. We recommend Soft Flex Extreme Wire for designers that want to be 'green' and desire a high quality wire for high end jewelry.
Learn How To Make Colorful Earrings Using Micro Crimp Tubes And Champagne Beading Wire
Sara filmed a fun earring demonstration with Champagne wire. We love making earrings with Soft Flex. You need very minimal lengths of wire to make stunning earrings. Add beads, ear wires, and a crimp and you have an instant piece of jewelry. Since so few materials are needed, you can potentially make a new set of earrings for every outfit.
Earrings are also a great option if you have cut lengths of wire that are too small for a bracelet or longer piece of jewelry. We call these pieces of wire 'remnant wire'. We accrue remnant wire when we cut a piece of wire that is too long for a project. We cut it and end up with a length that is too small to use by itself, but long enough that we feel wasteful by just throwing it away. Earrings are perfect for remnant wire. Save all of your 'unusable' wire lengths and turn that wire into a majestic set of earrings.
If you need help mastering crimps and crimping, this video is worth the watch!
For these hoop earrings, Sara used 1x1mm crimps to secure the beads. This is an easy way to create illusion jewelry – 'floating' the beads on wire by crimping them in place. 1x1mm crimps are very small. If you have some on hand, we strongly suggest using Micro Crimping Pliers to finish them. Micro Crimping Pliers look like standard crimping pliers, but the holes on the head of the pliers are much tinier. They were created to finish smaller crimps.
Soft Flex Champagne Extreme Flex Beading Wire
1x1mm Soft Flex Crimp Tubes
Micro Crimping Pliers
2x2mm Soft Flex Crimp Tubes
Crimping Pliers
Cutters
Ear Wires
Designing earrings with Soft Flex Beading Wire is really simple. You can fashion a new pair of earrings with different beads and different colors of beading wire within minutes. You could literally craft a new pair of earrings for every day of the year or more. Once you grasp the basic techniques, it takes just minutes to finish.
For these earrings, Sara used seed beads and beads from one of our Bead Mixes. If you would like a fun assortment of beads at a great value, they are a steal. Bead Mixes are perfect for themed jewelry. They are fantastic for earrings. Since earrings do not require a full strand of beads, having a mix means that you can create a bunch of unique earrings for a small price.
Making Jewelry With The Shades Of Coral Design Kit And Champagne Color Wire
Sara is our design kit superstar. She is our Kit Day diva! We have Kit Day at the end of each month. Kit Day is when we reveal our latest kit, announce our newest kit, and show off designs from a previous kit, in our blog. It is a day full of creative fury and fun. If you are part of our VIB community on Facebook, this is a great chance to show off your designs or get help from professional designers. Make sure you join us if you have not already.
Kristen took over hosting duties on this video. Sara was busy being a mommy and had to step away for a bit. Kristen did not disappoint. She showed us how to make an incredible necklace. If you love a dramatic focal, this is going to be your favorite new necklace! Pairing Champagne with coral is delectable.
Our Shades of Coral Design Kit (Sold Out) was a celebration of Pantone's Color of the Year for 2019. Each of our kits is a themed adventure. We have kits that are based on holidays. We have kits based on fantasy and popular culture. We have kits based on empowerment and strong women. If this speaks to you, make sure you check out our latest kit offering - The Spice Market Design Kit. This sultry collection of warm colors is an exotic jewelry making experience.
The Shades of Coral Design Kit was an amazing kit. We offered Extreme Flex Champagne Color Wire in the kit - so exotic! This wire is great for designs where the wire is exposed. It is meant to be shown and will make your jewelry shine.
Expose your Champagne color beading wire! Kristen leaves her wire unadorned for a good chunk of this necklace. The wire itself becomes a design element. Make every part of your necklace a fundamental part of the design. Choose a color wire that shines. Use crimps that are great accents. Add a clasp that really sings. Don't let your beads take center stage. Make the entire performance memorable!
Make A Flexible Chain Necklace With Champagne Wire
Kristen filmed a second video with the Shades of Coral Design Kit (Sold Out) and Champagne color beading wire. This time, she showed us how to make a necklace that is super playful. This is an easy design to string. And it is so stunning. If you want to make a visually striking piece of jewelry, give this one a shot!
We would love to see your design. If you make this amazing necklace, post it on our VIB group. Kristen would love to see how you interpret her jewelry.
The flexible chain design is wonderful. The finish can be varied with different beads. If you love the technique, make sure you play around with your bead sizes and colors.
Soft Flex Extreme .019/Medium Beading Wire in Champagne Color (two 20” strands)
Shades of Coral Design Kit (Sold Out)
Shades of Coral Bead Mix (Sold Out)
Wanderlust Bead Mix (Sold Out)
Soft Flex 2x2mm Gold Filled Crimp Tubes
Magical Crimping Pliers
Cutters
Toggle Clasp (included in the Shades of Coral Bead Mix)
Don't miss Kristen's YouTube jewelry design series - Free Spirit Beading. She films a new episode every Monday at 12:00pm PST. The series takes it's name from her design philosophy. She does not fret about mistakes while creating her art or jewelry but chooses to incorporate the 'errors' into her designs. She believes that mistakes are part of the journey and flaws can be beautiful. Be a free spirit and follow her!
Bubbly Necklace
Make a necklace for New Year's Eve! Jamie Hogsett designed this stunning illusion necklace using Extreme Flex Champagne beading wire and champagne CZ rondelles. Perfect for a celebration! Champagne looks great when matched with similar colors. It also looks amazing when paired with black. Make your next necklace elegant and memorable.
Champagne Soft Flex
Extreme Wire .014 diameter - 72"
2x2mm Gold Filled Crimp Tubes - 10 pcs
2x3mm Gold Filled Crimp Tubes - 4 pcs
12mm Gold Filled Toggle
Clasp- 1 set
4mm Champagne CZ rondelles - 37 pcs
6mm Champagne CZ rondelles - 8 pcs
8mm Champagne CZ rondelles - 20 pcs
7mm x 5mm Champagne CZ briolettes - 21 pcs
9mm x 7mm Champagne CZ briolettes - 16 pcs
Cutters
Crimping Pliers
Bead Stoppers
Ruler or Measuring Tape
Step 1: Cut the wire into three pieces: one at 21", one at 24", and one at 27". Place a Bead Stopper at one end of the wires.
Step 2: Use the 21" wire to string one 7x5mm briolette, one 9x7mm brilette, one 7x5mm briolette, one 9x7mm briolette, one 7x5mm briolette, one 2x2mm crimp tube, one 4mm rondelle, one 6mm rondelle, one 4mm rondelle, one 6mm rondelle, one 4mm rondelle, one 2x2mm crimp tube, one 7x5mm briolette, one 9x7mm briolette, one 7x5mm briolette, one 9x7mm briolette, and one 7x5mm briolette. Place a Bead Stopper on the end of the wire and set aside.
Step 3: Use the 24" wire to string one 4mm rondelle, one 6mm rondelle, one 4mm rondelle, one 2x2mm crimp tube, one 7x5mm briolette, one 9x7mm briolette, one 7x5mm briolette, one 9x7mm briolette, one 7x5mm briolette, one 2x2mm crimp tube, one 4mm rondelle, one 6mm rondelle, one 4mm rondelle, one 2x2mm crimp tube, one 7x5mm briolette, one 9x7mm briolette, one 7x5mm briolette, one 9x7mm briolette, one 7x5mm briolette, one 4mm rondelle, one 6mm rondelle, one 4mm rondelle, one 2x2mm crimp tube, one 7x5mm briolette, one 9x7mm briolette, one 7x5mm briolette, one 9x7mm briolette, one 7x5mm briolette, one 2x2mm crimp tube, one 4mm rondelle, one 6mm rondelle, and one 4mm rondelle. Place a Bead Stopper on the end of the wire and set aside.
Step 4: Use the 27" wire to string one 7x5mm briolette, one 9x7mm briolette, one 7x5mm briolette, one 9x7mm briolette, one 7x5mm briolette, one 2x2mm crimp tube, one 4mm rondelle, one 6mm rondelle, one 4mm rondelle, one 6mm rondelle, one 4mm rondelle, one 2x2mm crimp tube, one 7x5mm briolette, one 9x7mm briolette, one 7x5mm briolette, one 9x7mm briolette, one 7x5mm briolette, one 2x2mm crimp tube, one 4mm rondelle, one 6mm rondelle, one 4mm rondelle, one 7x5mm briolette, one 9x7mm briolette, one 7x5mm briolette, one 9x7mm briolette, and one 7x5mm.
Step 5: Remove the Bead Stoppers used in Steps 3 and 4.
Step 6: Use the ends of all three wires to string one 2x3mm crimp tube. Use all three wires to string one 4mm rondelle and one 8mm rondelle ten times. Use all three wires to string one 4mm rondelle, one 2x3mm crimp tube, and one half of the clasp. Pass back through the tube and crimp. Trim wire ends.
Step 7: Remove the remaining bead stopper and repeat Step 6 on the other ends of the wire.
Step 8: Place the necklace on your work surface. Working with the 21" strand of wire, place the first 2x2mm crimp tube so that it is about 3 1/2" from the 2x3mm crimp tube, and crimp using Crimping Pliers. Repeat, placing the other 2x2mm crimp tube about 3 1/2" from the other 2x3mm crimp tube.
Step 9: Working with the 24" strand of wire, place the first 2x2mm crimp tube so that is about 2" from the 2x3mm crimp tube, and crimp. Place the next 2x2mm crimp tube so that is about 3 1/4" from the previous 2x2mm tube, and crimp. Repeat, working from the other end of the necklace.
Step 10: Working with the 27" wire, place the first 2x2mm crimp tube so that it is about 4 1/2" from the 2x3mm crimp tube, and crimp. Place the next 2x2mm so that it is about 2 1/2" from the previous 2x2mm tube, and crimp. Repeat, working from the other end of the necklace.
Nealay Patel's Decorative Hoop Earrings
Click here or the image above to view the video.
From Nealay:
I’m excited to show you how to create a pair of fun earrings, using Soft Flex Wire, Flat Mesh SilverSilk and Jesse James Beads. I’ll show you how to wrap a decorative bead with Flat Mesh and how to crimp Soft Flex Beading wire to get the perfect round hoop earring design. We’re also going to use some seed beads to add a pop of color to our design…I can’t wait!
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Blog contributor Thomas Soles loves Jazz Age writers and crunchy french fries. His favorite gemstones are Lapis and Pietersite. His favorite hobby is day dreaming. And his favorite mustache is Freddie Mercury's. As you can see, he has a healthy (or possibly unhealthy) sense of humor. You can write to him at Thomas@SoftFlexCompany.com