How to Make a Bail for a Top to Bottom/Straight Drilled Bead

Most times I work with top drilled beads but there are also top to bottom drilled beads that are beautiful too. This tutorial is a method that with little work, gives you a lovely finished product and allows you to use wire rather than headpins which may not give you enough length to make a wrapped loop.

These top to bottom drill earrings are made with head pins and are finished with a wrapped loop. But for those of us who don't have headpins on hand here's an alternative.

Supplies Needed:
2, 12 inch lengths of wire(I used 24 gauge but you have to use whatever gauge fits through your bead."
1 top to bottom drilled bead (this method works for round beads, nuggets, oval and briolettes. I used a 40mm round bead.
wire cutters
chain nose or jewelry pliers.

1. Twist the two 12 inch wires together loosely about 5 inches from the ends.

2.Bend one wire at a 90 degree angle to the other

3.. Coil one wire around the other for about 1/2 inch, you can do this more or less based on the size of the bead you are working with.

4.Stick the two two wires below the coil through the bead.

Always check that your wires fit through the hole in your bead before you start your project.

5. Push the shorter wire from the top through the hole in the bead. A loop will form from the coil, reshape it if necessary.

 

6. Wrap the long wire around the base of the loop a few times to stabilize.

7. Trim the bottom three wires to about 3/8 inch and loop toward the bead.

8. Take the long wire at that remains and bring it along the side of the bead and begin to wrap it around the bottom looped three wires.

 

 

9. Wrap several times then trim and enjoy!

(Although it's not necessary I twisted the wire in the center a bit for a decorative effect.)

 

 

A briolette bead done the same way.