Foxtail Bracelet Pattern

[David Robertson]

Hi, Edna,

First, let me say I'm not sure whether you want silver jump rings or silver wire; so I'll try to give info on both.

:icon_01:  According to my information, 16 gauge wire is 1.291 mm thick, and 18 gauge wire is 1.024 mm thick.  On <Font Color=chocolate>page 27</Font Color> of our catalog, we list a sterling round jump ring with a wire thickness of 1.0 mm (#37-245, with outer diameter being 5.4 mm).  This would be very close to the gauges you want.

:icon_01:  On our <font color=red>precious wire & sheet page</font color>, we list 16 gauge sterling wire in round, half-round, and square shapes.  We also offer 18 gauge sterling wire in the round & square shapes.

:icon_01:  Gold jump rings in the large-ish sizes you want will be sold by other suppliers, for example:

Here's a site that has "12kt Gold Fill 6mm coming" at some time.

Here's another that  has mostly oval GF jump rings.

This one has GF split rings in larger sizes, which may an option you'll want to think of too.

:icon_01:  I found some interesting pictures of foxtail bracelets by using the always excellent www.google.com; one of them which you could possibly base your design on is at this website.  Another is at this web location.

I hope this information is helpful to you!

--Dave

[Beadme]

If you're looking for directions for making a Foxtail chain and not the product called Foxtail, get the book, "Great Wire Jewelry: Projects and Techniques" by Irene From Peterson, Lark Books, Asheville, North Carolina.   The Foxtail chain is listed on page 52.

If you haven't made chains before, you may find this one a little challenging--I suggest starting with colored wire (like copper and colored, coated copper) so you can keep the pattern straight visually.  A caveat about this book:  the gauge of the wire listed is a metric gauge that is not the same as the B&S gauge used by most suppliers in the U.S.  For example, where the book lists 20 gauge, it expects wire at is 1.00 mm in diameter.  This is more closely aligned with 18 gauge (B&S) wire you can buy from most suppliers.

Finally, you'll find that getting the links in the correct gauge with the correct inner diameter can be tricky.  You're far better off making your own.  There are any number of places you can find info on how to do this (Tim McCreight's book comes to mind), including the book listed above.  The supplies you'll need include a jeweler's saw, blades (2/0 work fine), a bench pin, and beeswax or burr life--and the wire.  If you're heavily into chainmaking, it makes sense to purchase a jump ringer (If not available here, then through a major silversmith supplier).

[ednayarbo]

I am looking for a pattern on how to make a Foxtail bracelet.  Does anyone have a good wholesale supplier for 16 or 18 gauge sterling silver and gold filled 6, 7 or 8mm jump rings? I would like to buy in large quantities.

[ednayarbo]

Thank you very much for responding to my message.  I can find lots of places that sell the Foxtail bracelets, however, I want to learn to make them myself and am having trouble finding the pattern.  I have also tried all the search engines but have not been able to find what I need.