Make a Bracelet from Scrabble® Tiles

Before: Scrabble® tiles

Today is the second day of our Valentine's Day series and we made a bracelet from old Scrabble® tiles from one of our many sets with lost or missing pieces. After a lot of playing and discussion, my daughter and I decided the bracelet should read "True Love." My favorite part of the bracelet is that it can be worn so the letters are visible or hidden-- depending on the mood of the wearer.

After: Tile Bracelet by GeltDesigns.com

Again, we limited the creative time for our project to 30-minutes.  

Materials
Scrabble®  letters
22 jump rings
18-gauge round brass wire
Spring clasp

Tools 

After: Scrabble® Tile Bracelet 

Automatic center punch

Drill
Size 41 bit
Chain nose pliers

Step 1
Select the Scrabble® tiles and arranged them in order.

Drill tiles

Step 2

Tile with four holes

Mark the Scrabble® tiles with an automatic center punch and then drill the holes in the tiles. For the first and last tile, drill three holes. For the remaining tiles, drill four holes (one in each corner of the tile).

Since we used vintage wooden tiles, the studio smelled really nice when my daughter did the drilling. Not sure exactly what wood these tiles were made from, but the aroma told us they were quality hard wood.

Add jump rings to tiles

Step 3
Feed a jump ring through each drilled hole. Close the jump rings using your pliers.

Step 4
Use your pliers to attach the tiles to form a chain by adding a jump ring between the jump rings on each tile. Check each jump ring to be sure it is closed.

Step 5
Make an "S" or "figure 8" link and attach it to the center drilled hole at one end of the bracelet.

Add Clasp

Step 6
Add the clasp to the other end of the bracelet.

Related Tutorials
How to Make Jump Rings
How to Drill
How to Use a Drill Press for Jewelry Making
How to Use a Dremel to Make Jewelry
How to Use a Flex Shaft to Make Jewelry 

True Love Bracelet

Further Reading
"500 Bracelets: An Inspiring Collection of Extraordinary Designs (500 Series)"; Lark; 2005.
"The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary"
"The Scrabble Word-Building Book: Updated Edition"


Day 80.  Month 4. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: Scrabble® tiles
New Jewelry a Day.

Make a Valentine's Day Pendant from a Copper Washer & Scrap Silver

Before: Scrap silver

Valentine's Day is coming soon. My daughter and I decided that we would spend this week making different Valentine's Day themed and inspired jewelry... and it would not be NJAD unless we used found objects. Just to add to the challenge we decided to put a time limit on our projects: they need to be done in 30 minutes or less.

After: Pendant by GeltDesigns.com

Today we took some scrap sterling silver and a copper washer to make a framed heart pendant.

Materials
18-gauge sterling silver sheet metal
copper washer
18-gauge sterling silver wire

Tools
Jewelry saw & blade
Wax candle
Half-round file
Wet/Dry sandpaper or 3M bristle discs and flex shaft
Torch
Charcoal block
Annealing pan
Pickle and pickle pot
Copper tongs
Soldering pick
Hard solder & flux
Round nose pliers
Wire cutter

Mark the silver

Step 1
Draw a heart on the scrap metal. Use a jewelry saw and blade to cut out the sterling silver heart. File the edges smooth.

Prepare metal

Step 2
Sand the sterling silver heart and the copper washer to remove tool marks and dirt. You can use sandpaper or 3M bristle disks and a flex shaft to speed the sanding process. Clean with soap and water. Dry.

Solder silver on copper

Step 3
Solder the sterling silver heart to the copper washer. Pickle to remove oxidation.

Step 4

Scrap wire

Locate scrap wire. Use round nose pliers to create the bail. Cut off excess wire, if any. File the ends smooth.

Add bail

Step 5
Remove the pedant from the pickle. Rinse with water. Dry.

Step 6
Attach bail.


Related Tutorials
Soldering Tips for Jewelry Makers
More Soldering Tips
Thoughts on Soldering Torches & Other Equipment

Further Reading
"Complete Metalsmith: Professional Edition"; Tim McCreight; 2004.
"Step-by-Step Jewelry Workshop: Simple Techniques for Soldering, Wirework, and Metal Jewelry (Step By Step)"; Nicola Hurst; 2008.
"Soldering Made Simple: Easy techniques for the kitchen-table jeweler"; Joe Silvera; 2010.
"Hot Connections Jewelry: The Complete Sourcebook of Soldering Techniques"; Jennifer Chin; 2011.
 
Day 79.  Month 4. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: scrap silver, copper washer
New Jewelry a Day.

Make a Super Bowl Necklace from LEGO®

Before: in the toy box

Today will be a brief post because we spent the day getting ready for the super bowl and the evening will be spent watching the game and then recovering from our party.

After: Necklace by GeltDesigns.com

We went to the toy box again to string a simple beaded necklace using green and yellow. Go team! ....and enjoy the game.

Materials
Leather, imitation leather, satin or other stringing material
LEGO®
Clasp

Tools
Beadboard

Step 1
Go to the toy box and collect the LEGO® of your choice. Arrange design using a beadboard. If you do not have a beadboard, then you can use a plate to prevent the LEGO® beads from rolling as you arrange your design.

Step 2
Cut 21-inches of 1mm imitation leather or the stringing material of your choice.

Step 3
String the LEGO® beads.

Step 4
Add the clasp.

Related Tutorials
Make a LEGO® and Chain Necklace
Use LEGO® as Beads to Make a Necklace
Make LEGO® Christmas Earrings
Make a Giant LEGO® Necklace
Make LEGO®  Earrings

Day 78.  Month 4. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: LEGO®
New Jewelry a Day.