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 One of the most used skills in jewelry making is
the skill of making a loop. There are essentially two types of
loops, the most basic or a "P" loop, and the "Eye" loop. A "P" loop
earned its name because it looks like the letter P. Making the P
loop is accomplished by grasping the jewelry wire near the end with your round
nose pliers and twisting the pliers while gripping the wire firmly.
Continue to twist the pliers and with the pliers, the wire, until the end
of the wire touches the wire tail. You may need to reposition your
grip on the wire to complete the P loop. For detailed pictures and
instructions in this
technique visit our jewelry making instructions
and pictures of how to make a "P" loop here.
Once you understand how to make a P loop, you need to
understand how to make the loop in different sizes. This is really
quite simple. Grip the wire closer to the tips of your round nose
pliers and you will make a smaller loop. Grip the wire closer to the
hinge in the pliers and you will make a larger loop. As you become
proficient in making loops, you will learn to grip the jewelry wire in the same
location on your pliers to make the same size loop.
 Just like with chain nose pliers, the best round nose pliers will have
small tips (1mm) and will taper out, becoming larger toward the hinge in the pliers.
The next type of loop to learn in jewelry making is the eye loop. Making an Eye loops begins by making a P loop as described above.
After you complete the P loop you grip the wire near the tips
 of your round
nose pliers, at the point where the end of the wire touches the wire tail on
the inside of the loop. Then bend the wire back so that the wire tail
is centered on the center of the loop. Visit here
for jewelry making instructions and pictures of how to convert a "P" Loop to
an eye loop.
Finally,
another way to make a similar loop to the eye loop, called an open loop,
can be found here.
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