Brooches can be created very simply; buying jewellery findings such as brooch blanks and gluing stones or mosaic pieces to them. Pins can be glued to the backs of the blanks and a very basic brooch is made. A popular effect is layering. Not only does it add an intricacy to the piece, but stones can also be incorporated for eye-catching effects. Round-nosed pliers are advisable in this process to cope with minute manipulation of the wire involved.
Firstly, you need to decide on the backing for your brooch: gold, or silver. Once you have made your choice, you will need gold or silver half-hard wire; - 0.50 mm in diameter. The hardness of these wires makes them perfect for incorporating small beads, gems or pearls into your design.
Soldering Supplies
Take one continuous length and, using your round-nosed pliers, create a tine curve in one end; this will act as a seal. Form a looping circle and place your beads, stones or pearls onto the wire. Looping the wire into petal shapes, form the outline of a flower. Depending on how much wire you have, you can continue to loop petal shapes and layer them onto the petals behind, forming a succession of overlapping petals. These do not have to be perfectly aligned; it is often more interesting to see the petals at the back, as well as those on top. Ensure, however that you leave enough wire free to fix a central stone or gem.
Thread the exposed wire through your chosen centrepiece and then pull it through the centre of the flower and out through the back of the piece. Once again, using the round-nosed pliers, roll the end of the wire in on itself to form a securing seal. This can then be flattened using the pliers and a small amount of glue used to act as security.
Attaching pins, or pinbacks, can be either glued or soldered on. Soldering is an advanced technique that requires specialist equipment and is more suited to attaching clasps and other jewelery findings to denser brooch-bases, such as blanks.
Depending on the materials you have used to create your brooch, you may or may not want to seal them. This should be done before attaching the pinback. All raw brass should be sealed, as it will oxidise and discolour if it is not. There are many spray lacquers available, but it should be noted that many of them create toxic fumes and should only be used in well-ventilated areas. Glass and gemstones do not need sealing, but pieces of porcelain and anything that is unglazed will require it. Once sealed, the brooch should be given 8 - 12 hours to dry and a further 8 hours once the pinback has been added.
Some lacquers continue to release gases for up to three days after spraying and, if this is the case, the piece should be allowed to rest for that time, before wearing.
