Jewel Enamel UTEE tutorial

I have been asked many times how to make a link, loop or bail for a jewel enamel UTEE charm or pendant.
Head pins or eye pins work well to embed into the newly poured enamel.
You need to work quickly to place the pin and hold it in place for a few seconds until it is firm.

this faux amber butterfly has a head pin embedded in the back

Many of us have silver plated and cheaper  findings - this is a good use for them.

here you can see a rolled down head pin waiting to be neatened

this is the back of a face mould that was heated with the gun and then had an eye pin added
to the soft enamel relatively successfully

the back of a shell mould witha rolled down head pin ready to attach

heart charm with jump ring attached

Once you have embedded an eye or headpin into your poured piece you need to let it set properly and then it will be ready to attach a jump ring to make a charm for a bracelet or a pendant bail,

Some times you may not want to embed but actually create a hole.
This needs to be done while the enamel is still warm and soft but set enough to manipulate
I use a bradawl but anything that is sharp and pointed will work. Use a board underneath and try not to mark the surface of the piece. Any marks can be removed by heat glossing with the gun
Don't leave it too long - UTEE goes very brittle

holes made with bradawl while still slightly soft

A little update for you. Since writing this almost two years ago I have developed a better way to make a hole. I use an old soldering iron of my hubby's and melt my holes which gives me the ability to have smaller or larger holes and I can do it days after pouring.

hole made by melting with soldering iron