FINDINGS CONTINUED

Head pins and eye pins are used to connect beads together or to other findings. Two of the most familiar usages would be in beading earrings and in making pendents. They are sold in inches for length and in wire gauge for dimention. Wire gauge is the opposite of what one may think. For example: A 24 gauge wire would be much smaller that an 18 gauge. So the larger the number in wire gauge the smaller the wire. They are usually sold in lengths from 3/4 inch to 4 inches. I usually buy the 4 inch head pin and take the unused portion of the wire to make a eye pin or pins. These pins are normally sold in packs of 100 if your buying the plated wires and depending on the length and the gauge of the wire the cost for a package can be $1.00 to $9.00. Or if your really creative you can buy plated wire by the roll and make your own head pins and eye pins. I always keep a roll of gold & silver plated wire in 18, 20, & 21 gauge for making head pins and eye pins, and ear wires. I personally like mixing different colors of metals and when I began beading I bought rolls of copper wire from our local hardware store so I could make my own head pins & eye pins in copper. Learning to wrap, bend, and manipulate the wires can only be learned through practice. So watch videos on the internet to learn the basics. These tutorials are offered for free at many beading suppliers web sites. Order a few catalogs from different suppliers, many are free or are free if you place an order, buy some wire and practice, practice practice.