Do It Yourself Jewelry Projects and More

1/30/2018 0 Comments

Wire Wrap/Weave Donut Pendant

Donut stones can be quite stunning, but they can be equally confusing as to how to wrap them in a complimentary way. I love this wrap because it alternates between an open stone area to a wrapped area and back and forth. I also love how it has space between the frame and the stone making feel like it is floating. It is not a wrap that hides to much of the stone and it has a modern character. So if you want to learn how to wrap a donut stone into a frame like an expert, let's get on with it!

Tools

Round nose pliers
Flat nose pliers
Flush cutters
1/4" dowel (for bail)
Dowel for frame 1 1/4"
File
Rubber hammer and bench block (opt)

Materials

30mm Donut
16 gauge wire 8 ½”
24 gauge wire 4 ft

Directions

Wrap 18 gauge wire around the dowel (center it as best as you can)
Bend wires with flat nose pliers up in the center so that they lay next to one another and out away from the dowel in a 90 degree angle
Two inches in on the thinner wire, wrap it around and upward over the 18 gauge wires where they meet at the top of the circle until the two inches is all gone
Flatten the end with the flat nose pliers to tuck it in
Do not cut the long wire!

Take off the dowel and hammer the circle only to harden the frame, do not hammer the thin wire wrap.
Now wrap the thinner wire around the circle frame on one side 5 times
Begin the weave by wrapping the wire in between the stone and the frame then around the stone and back in between the frame and the stone. This creates a little space between the frame and the stone
Now wrap the frame five times before wrapping around the stone again.

Repeat the wrap of frame and stone until you cover ¼ of the frame and stone
End this section by wrapping the frame five times
Cut and flatten the end to the inside of the pendant

Now repeat wrap/weave that you did before starting at the center bottom of the frame heading up.
Begin with the five wraps around the frame then work your way up and end with five wraps
Trim and tuck the end into the inside of the pendant

Place the ¼” dowel behind the 18 gauge tails just above the thin wire wrap
Wrap the tails over the dowel and down the back of the pendant
Trim and file the tails just shorter than the stone hole.
Make tiny loops on the tails up wards and away from the stone

Be sure to go see some of my original work at my Etsy store!

0 Comments

5/9/2017 0 Comments

Easy Egyptian Coil Bracelet

Ever wonder how they make those awesome spiral /coil Egyptian bracelets? Well so did I. I went searching and I found only two sets of directions. Both were terrific, but as I was working, I wondered if there was an easier way to assemble them. I was having trouble getting the links hooked together after I made them. So I came up with a way that works better and easier for me, and maybe it will be better for you too.

Tools

Round nose pliers
Flat nose pliers
Wire cutters
File (emery board)
¼” Dowel
Thin Sharpie
Ruler

Materials
18-20 gauge wire 10 feet (I used 18 gauge)

Directions

Cut one piece of wire 8” long
Cut 18 pieces of wire 6” long
File all the wire ends

Clasp Hook

Hold ends together and fold in half
Using flat nose pliers bring the tip closers to begin hook
Gently bend the very tip up just a bit

Measure from the tip ⅜” then using round nose pliers bend it around the pliers so little tip is still pointing up
Move round nose pliers to ⅛” below where the tip is and bend back in the opposite direction (you should have something that resembles a S shape)
Spread tail wires a little apart at the tips

Make a small loop on each tip from inside to outside
Continue loops till you get spiral coils that should end Just below the hook top

Links

Fold 17 of the 6” pieces in half
Use flat nose wires to bring them slightly closer but not closed
Mark these wires ¾” from the fold tip in with a thin sharpie
(Optional) mark ⅜” between the tip and the mark

Feed one wire onto the hook loop under the spirals
Make a small loop on both ends
Coil each end until the spiral meets your ¾” mark

Bend the coils up over your round nose pliers towards the last link
Continue steps 5-8 for the rest of your wires, or until your bracelet is one link short of fitting.

Clasp Eye

Mark the center of the last wire (3”)
Loosely fold the last wire into a large open teardrop
Place on tip into the last link loop and then the other tip on the other side of the loop(they should cross each other inside the loop)
Place your ¼” dowel into the large loop so that your half way mark is centered on it.
Pull both wire ends until they are tight around the dowel and the center mark is centered

Remove dowel
Make small loops on each end of the wires
Coil until they come over and just barely under the eye loop top

0 Comments

5/2/2017 0 Comments

All Wire Spiral Earrings

   Love spirals? Well so do I! I just can't get enough of these fun designs. They are everywhere in nature and they can be mesmerizing to look at. So I designed these super easy and fun earrings that you can make in a very short period of time.

  The best part is the design is simple to master and you can add all sorts of elements to change it up a bit. For instance add extra small beads t the top of every spiral for some color, or if you just can't stop yourself from making spirals add even more drops for more drama. Whatever you do have fun with it!

Tools

Round nose pliers
Flat nose pliers
Wire cutters
File (emery board)
Pen with cap (bic style round)
Rubber Hammer and bench block
Sharpie

Materials

18-20 gauge wire 49-50”
4" of the 20 gauge is for ear wires

Directions

Make sure to check out my store too!

Fish hook ear wires

Cut one wire 4” long
Small loop with round nose pliers on both ends
Slide on loop under pen top with loop opening away from pen
Wrap wire about ¾ of the way around pen

Now repaet step four in last section on the other side of the wire
Find center between the larger loop ends and cut making two ear wires
Cut shorter stems if you wish
Gently file ends with emery board
Using Chain nose pliers make a small bend on ends facing away from earring loops (if you wish) to a 20 degree angle with flat nose pliers
Hammer gently to strengthen

Cut - 2 wires 10” long, 4 wires 4” long, 2 wires 4 ½” long (for a total of 20 pieces)
File the ends of all the wires
Make a small loop on one end of every wire

4” and 10” wires

Begin to make spiral using the flat nose pliers to help hold the loop and keep the spirals parallel, then slowly in small increments make the wire spiral around.
When you get enough of a spiral you can drop the flat nose pliers and use your fingers.
Spiral until only ¼” is left on the wires

On the smallest spirals only, make a small loop going from the front of the spiral to the back
Bend this spiral up to make the loop centered to the spiral center
Set aside the completed and uncompleted spirals

4 ½” wires

Mark the end with no loop with a sharpie at ¾” from the end
Repeat steps one and two in the previous section until the spiral reaches the sharpie mark.
At the mark bend the wires up to center them
Make a small loop going from the front of the spiral to the back ( hold the wire stem just under your tool to keep the stem from warping while making the loop)

Assembly

Gently hammer all the spirals to make them sturdy, be careful to not hammer the small loops.
Feed onto the large spiral one small one medium and one small spiral drop
Make a small loop on the large spiral going in the opposite direction of the spiral to capture these drops and make a place to hang on the earwires.
Open the earwire and place the large spiral on, then close the earwire and you are done!

0 Comments

4/25/2017 0 Comments

Three Bead drop Earrings

If you want to learn how to make your own earrings, here is a super easy style to make. They have swing and sass and can be made with any beads you like. You don't need a lot of tools and they will take such little time to master. Let's get started!

Tools

Round nose pliers
Chain/Flat nose pliers
Cutters
⅝” Dowel (you can use the top of your favorite nail polish)
Emery board

Materials

20 gauge wire 11”
Two of each - 4mm beads, 6mm beads, 8mm beads

Check out my store too!

Directions
Hoop earwire

Cut two 20 gauge wires 2 ¼” long and file ends
Make an open loop one one end only of each wire
Shape around the ⅝” dowel with loop facing out
Hammer well to strengthen and flatten out the hoop
Reshape on the dowel so that opening is not to big and the earrings will stay on your ears

Beaded drops

Cut two wires each - ¾”, ⅞”, 1”
File ends of each wire
Make a loop with a back bend on one end of each wire
Place 4mm beads onto smallest wires, 6mm beads onto middle size wires, 8mm beads onto longest wires
Make a loop going in the opposite direction of the first loop (ie, front to back and side to side) on each wire to capture the beads
Open sideways one end loop on each bead drop
Now connect to each drop and close loop ,going largest to smallest then to the earwire

0 Comments

3/14/2017 0 Comments

Linked Necklace with Briolette Pendant

Making a necklace from start to finish may seem very daunting. But, I am going to show you how to make all the components you need to complete a beautiful necklace that is simple to create and yet elegant. I am adding a bit of chain into my design, but you can make the entire necklace by just repeating the links until you get the desired length you want. I am also making the center briolette for this design, but again you can use any pendant design you wish to finish the look. Let's get started!

ools

Flat nose pliers
Round nose pliers
Flush cutters
File (emery board)
¼” dowel

Materials

20 gauge wire 8” or more
18 gauge wire 10 1/2" (add 1 ⅛” per additional small link)
16 gauge wire 7 ½” (add 2 ⅛” per additional large link)
Optional Chain with large enough for links 12-14”

Small S Links

Directions

Cut 6 pieces of 18 gauge wire 1" long and file ends
Make a loop about half way down on the round nose pliers
Flip over and repeat loop on opposite side to make an S
Repeat on all wires

Large Spiral S Links

Cut two pieces of 18 gauge wire 2 1/8" long and file ends
Make a small loop on both ends, each going in the opposite direction
Round one end to make a larger loop by pulling the smaller one around in a circle
Repeat on other end
Repeat for other wire

Center U Link

Cut one piece of 18 gauge wire 3 1/4" and file ends
Make a small loop on both ends going in the same direction
Pull each small loop in and around toward the center to create a spiral

Hold the wire in the center between the two spirals on your round nose pliers about half way down on the tool (spiral should be spiraling inward and on top)
Bend each spiral side down to create a U shape (adjust as needed to make it as centered as possible)

Hook and Eye Clasp

Hook

Cut one piece of 18 gauge 1 1/2" long and file ends
Make a loop on one end and back bend (center it)
Make a small loop on the other end going in the same direction as the other loop
Create a spiral on the small loop end like in the spiral links

Eye

Cut one piece of 18 gauge wire 2 1/2" long and file ends
Make a loop on one end and back bend it (center it)
Wrap wire tail around the 1/4" dowel leaving about 1/4" between the small loop and the bottom of the dowel
Leave the wire on the dowel and wrap the tail around under the dowel till you reach the smaller loop (you should have two-three wraps)
Trim excess tail and file /flatten it to hide the end

Briolette Pendant ( optional, you may use your own pendant style)

Cut length of wire out of 20-22 gauge wire
Slide briolette onto wire in the center
Bring wire ends up and together, pinching them tight to the briolette top

Wrap both wires front to back over your round nose pliers to create a loop
Leave the wires wrapped around the pliers and begin wrapping under the tool and the loops
Spiral down towards the briolette and cover it if you wish
To finish the wires you can do one of three things

             A. Wrap them back up to the top and trim
             B. Tuck them underneath the other wires to hide the ends
             C. Trim and make a tiny loop end on each wire and lay it on the bead front

Pre-Assembly

If you are planning to make it all wire links please make enough of the small S links and large spiral S links to fit you.
First we must check all wires for any burs or sharp spots and file them
Now gently hammer all the components to make them strong and smooth and flat (this insures the necklace lays properly)
Lay out all the components in the order they will go

Assembly

Gently Open one side of the U shaped center link
Slide pendant onto the link center and close the open side back up
Open one side of two small S links
Put links onto each side of the center U link and re close them

Open the small S links on the other end and place large spiral links onto them
Close the small S links
Open and attach the next set of small S links to the other side of the large spiral links
A. If you are not using chain keep alternating between the small S link and the large spiral link until you get the length you desire B. If using the chain attach it to the last small S link on both sides
Attach the hook and eye to a small S link
Now attach the hook and eye small S links to the ends of last large spiral link or the chain

0 Comments

3/14/2017 0 Comments

Linked Necklace with Briolette Pendant

ools

Flat nose pliers
Round nose pliers
Flush cutters
File (emery board)
¼” dowel

Materials

20 gauge wire 8” or more
18 gauge wire 10 1/2" (add 1 ⅛” per additional small link)
16 gauge wire 7 ½” (add 2 ⅛” per additional large link)
Optional Chain with large enough for links 12-14”

Small S Links

Directions

Cut 6 pieces of 18 gauge wire 1" long and file ends
Make a loop about half way down on the round nose pliers
Flip over and repeat loop on opposite side to make an S
Repeat on all wires

Large Spiral S Links

Cut two pieces of 18 gauge wire 2 1/8" long and file ends
Make a small loop on both ends, each going in the opposite direction
Round one end to make a larger loop by pulling the smaller one around in a circle
Repeat on other end
Repeat for other wire

Center U Link

Cut one piece of 18 gauge wire 3 1/4" and file ends
Make a small loop on both ends going in the same direction
Pull each small loop in and around toward the center to create a spiral

Hold the wire in the center between the two spirals on your round nose pliers about half way down on the tool (spiral should be spiraling inward and on top)
Bend each spiral side down to create a U shape (adjust as needed to make it as centered as possible)

Hook and Eye Clasp

Hook

Cut one piece of 18 gauge 1 1/2" long and file ends
Make a loop on one end and back bend (center it)
Make a small loop on the other end going in the same direction as the other loop
Create a spiral on the small loop end like in the spiral links

Eye

Cut one piece of 18 gauge wire 2 1/2" long and file ends
Make a loop on one end and back bend it (center it)
Wrap wire tail around the 1/4" dowel leaving about 1/4" between the small loop and the bottom of the dowel
Leave the wire on the dowel and wrap the tail around under the dowel till you reach the smaller loop (you should have two-three wraps)
Trim excess tail and file /flatten it to hide the end

Briolette Pendant ( optional, you may use your own pendant style)

Cut length of wire out of 20-22 gauge wire
Slide briolette onto wire in the center
Bring wire ends up and together, pinching them tight to the briolette top

Wrap both wires front to back over your round nose pliers to create a loop
Leave the wires wrapped around the pliers and begin wrapping under the tool and the loops
Spiral down towards the briolette and cover it if you wish
To finish the wires you can do one of three things

             A. Wrap them back up to the top and trim
             B. Tuck them underneath the other wires to hide the ends
             C. Trim and make a tiny loop end on each wire and lay it on the bead front

Pre-Assembly

If you are planning to make it all wire links please make enough of the small S links and large spiral S links to fit you.
First we must check all wires for any burs or sharp spots and file them
Now gently hammer all the components to make them strong and smooth and flat (this insures the necklace lays properly)
Lay out all the components in the order they will go

Assembly

Gently Open one side of the U shaped center link
Slide pendant onto the link center and close the open side back up
Open one side of two small S links
Put links onto each side of the center U link and re close them

Open the small S links on the other end and place large spiral links onto them
Close the small S links
Open and attach the next set of small S links to the other side of the large spiral links
A. If you are not using chain keep alternating between the small S link and the large spiral link until you get the length you desire B. If using the chain attach it to the last small S link on both sides
Attach the hook and eye to a small S link
Now attach the hook and eye small S links to the ends of last large spiral link or the chain

0 Comments

2/28/2017 0 Comments

Wire wrap a stone into a frame pendant

I am lucky enough to live on Cape Cod so of course I love to collect beach stones and shells. I can't wait to make them into pendants and it can be a challenge to wrap them without covering to much of their beauty. I also love my pendants to be reversible if possible so not to waste any of the stones character. Many of my students also wanted to learn a style of wrap that was not to complicated and so I created this style of wrap, which I adapted from other designs I had seen by other artist. You can use this style with flatter beads and other objects as well. So let's get started!

Tools

Flat nose pliers
Round nose pliers
Flush cutters
File (emery board)
¼” -⅜” dowel

Materials

16 Gauge wire
24-26 gauge wire 3 1/2-4 ft
Stone, shell, found object flattish or large flattish bead

First we must figure out the frame wire length (16 gauge)

Measuring around the outside of the stone/shell (I roll the stone down the length of a ruler)
Take this number round it up to the next whole number and add 5"
Cut a 16 gauge wire the length you formulated in steps one and two
File ends

Starting in the center of wire shape it around the outside of the stone (it is ok if it is a little larger and the corners do not have to super sharp)
Cross the wire tails at the top
Using flat nose pliers bend the tails where they meet to make them parallel to each other and going up
Cut the 24-26 gauge wire about 2 1/2 “
Wrap this small wire around the two frame wires to secure them to each other
Hammer the frame to make it strong (avoid the thin wrap)

Cut 24--26 gauge wire 3- 4 ft long (depending on size of stone frame size)
Make a small U shape at the center of this wire
Place U bend around the center ish place of the bottom frame and pinch it tight
Begin wrapping on wire up the frame till it makes about ¼” of a wrap
Repeat on the other side of the frame with the other wire
Check to see if this is wide enough on your stone base ( if not continue to wrap wires up on both sides till it still captures the base but looks right)
Each wire will end up on different sides of the frame

Find the next place to wrap the wire on the frame by wrapping it over the stone and across the front of the stone. The placement of the wrap should capture the stone and leave a small space between it and the last wrap (about ¼”, less if a small stone)
Drop stone and wrap the wire up the frame from this spot for about ⅛” or five wraps, making sure to leave the front space for the stone profile (otherwise your stone will not fit when you are done)
If your wraps are too far apart squeeze them together with your flat nose pliers
Your front wire is now in the back
Repeat steps 18-20 with the other wire on the back of the stone, crossing over to the other side
Your back wire is now in front

Continue to repeat steps 18-22 till you reach the about ¼” from the top of the frame, remember to place stone into the work to check fit as you go, eventually you will be able to leave the stone in place as you wrap (usually after two cross wraps)
If you like the look and wish to stop here with the cross wrapping just keep wrapping the thin wire around the frame till you reach the very top
If you want to make more cross wraps going back down the stone to make X’s just go down with each wire underneath the previous wraps
When you reach the last bottom wrap area keep wrapping until you meet up with the center wrapping
Trim the thin wire close and tuck the wire inward towards the stone

Now determine which side of the stone is going to be the front
At the top of the thin wire wrap of the two tails make a bend with you flat nose plier towards the front
Place your dowel right at the top of this bend
Wrap the tails over and around the dowel and forward to one side of the pendant
Leave the dowel in the loop and wrap the wires under and around the base till they are again in front
You may wrap them to the back and trim and tuck the end on them if you are want a clean look or…. Lay them over the front of the stone and make a small loop at the end for a slightly more fancy look.(top wire should be slightly shorter than the bottom one)

Do not fret if you decide you back is prettier than your front because the pendant is truly reversible!

0 Comments

2/14/2017 0 Comments

Tree Of Life Pendant W/Stone

Tools

Round nose pliers
Flat nose pliers
Flush cutters
1/4" dowel (for bail)
Dowel for frame 1 3/8"
File
Rubber hammer and bench block (opt)

Materials

16 gauge wire md 8"
24 gauge wire 44"
1 1/4" flat bead

Directions

File one end of 16 gauge wire
Go in from end about 1 1/2" and wrap the wire around the 1/4" dowel
Wrap short tail around long tail until gone to make bail
About 1/8" under the bail make a sharp bend

beginning at the sharp bend bottom wrap the wire around the 1 3/8" dowel
Now wrap the tail around under the bail till it meets the other wrap.
Trim, file and flatten smooth
Hammer the hoop (not the bail) to strengthen the frame (optional, but suggested)

Cut five 8" wires from the 24 gauge
Cut one wire 4" long from 24 gauge
Wrap one end of the 4" wire around the frame four times
Now fold all the other wires in half and wrap three on one side of the shorter one and two on the other side

Grab all the wires and twist them three half turns to make the trunk
Fan them out
Pull towards the back the center most wire away from the others (we will use this later to attach the back bead)
Twist the first two together to make a stem and two branches
Do this with all the remaining wires to make five stems and ten branches

Start on one side and wrap the wire around the frame up towards the bail.
Use flat nose pliers to make sure the end is smooth and flat
continue this wrapping process with the next four wires
When you get to the other side of the bail skip the bead wire, but leave room for it to be wrapped ( about 1/8")
Now begin wrapping the other side starting with the next top most wire and wrapping it up towards the bail
For more branch details carefully use the tips of your round nose pliers to create bends

Place bead onto remaining wire
Feed the wire under the frame to the front of the frame
Wrap the wire from the bail (to center the bead) outward in the remaining space(5 wraps at least to secure it well, gently move the others out to get more space if needed)
Trim excess and flatten with flat nose pliers

0 Comments

2/7/2017 0 Comments

Teardrop Link Beaded Bracelet

This DIY bracelet is fun and simple to create. It will open you to a whole new world of link making. Which such a great tool in so many ways. Turn it into a chandelier earring, a necklace, or a chain to hang your pendants from. Create smaller or larger links, with or without the beads and play with different wire colors. The possibilities are endless, so let's get started!

Tools

Round nose pliers
Chain nose pliers
Cutters
Emery board
3/8" Dowel

Materials

18 Gauge wire 26” (use a bit extra for mistakes)
22 5-6mm beads (make sure hole is large enough for wire)

Cut 10 pieces of wire 2 ¼” long File ends
Shape each wire in a U shape around the 3/8" dowel
Slide a single bead onto each wire
Make a loop on the side with the bead only on each wire

On one wire only place a second bead
Make a loop on the other side of this wire only (This is the beginning ,or the eye clasp, of the bracelet)
Bend the loops outward and then pinch them together with your flat nose pliers to make loops sit flat against each other.

Get the next wire and feed it through the first links loops
Place a bead on the open side
Make a loop to capture the bead onto this link
Bend the loops outward and then pinch them together with your flat nose pliers to make loops sit flat against each other.
Repeat these steps until all the wires are linked to one another

Shape around the 3/8” dowel in a U shape
Now pinch the wires together on the dowel to make a hoop
Put a bead onto the wire
Feed it through the last link
Put on last bead

Wrap one tail around the other two times, where the two wires bend upward
Trim, file and flatten the wrapping tail
Make a small loop on the remaining tail in the opposite direction of all the others( towards the front of the bracelet)
Using round nose pliers bend the wire over and towards the inside of the bracelet to make a hook.

0 Comments

1/31/2017 0 Comments

Oval Hoop Chandelier Earrings

I love hoop earrings! They never go out of style and you can make them in different sizes and shapes as well as hang them into a long chandelier that is stunning. Learning to make hoop earrings is so simple and is absolutely necessary to any wire jewelry artist as far as I am concerned. It open up a huge world of possibilities in your work. These chandeliers are easy to make and so much fun to wear, so let's get started!

Tools

Round nose pliers
Chain nose pliers
Cutters
Emery board
Pen w/cap
⅝” Dowel

Materials

18-16 gauge wire 6”
20 gauge wire 13”
8 2-4mm beads
2 6mm beads (can use 2-4mm beads if you wish)

Use Hoop Frames

Cut two pieces 2 3/4” pieces of 18 or 16 gauge wire and smooth ends (Use 2 7/8"- 3" of wire for round hoops or longer teardrops) Also the thicker the wire gauge the longer the wire should be.
Mark the center of the wire
Wrap each wire around the ⅝” dowel to create a teardrop shape (if you are doing a circle hoop wrap the wire around and where they meet create a sharp right angle on both away from the dowel)
Create a small open loop on one side only of each hoop
Hammer the large hoop now if you wish to for added strength. Only hammer the large hoop not the small one.

Drops

Cut 2 pcs of 20 gauge wire 1 3/8” long file ends (center beads)
Cut 4 pcs of 20 gauge wire 1 1/8” long file ends (outside center)
Cut 4 pcs of 20 gauge wire 1” long file ends (complete outside)
Make a very small centered open loop on one end only on all 10 pieces of wire

Slide on the beads for each wire (remember the longest ones are the center beads, then the medium ones on either side of the center and the shortest on the outside of those one)
Make a centered open loop above the beads on each wire to secure the bead (this is the top of the drop)

Create a pair of forward facing fishhook earwires using the directions in this link.

Assembly

Place one short, medium then long, medium and bead drop onto each hoop
Create closed loop on other side of the hoops
Pinch loops together till they meet at the top
Make a bend outward just under the loops

With Flat nose pliers pinch the two hoop loops together (Feel free to use the dowel again to make the loops flush and re-shape the hoops)
Make any needed adjustments so the loops lay flat and parallel to each other
Now open the earwire and place on the earring, close up loop

0 Comments

1/24/2017 2 Comments

Wrapping A Briolette, Two Ways

So you love briolette beads, but you have no idea how to wrap them? Well It is super easy and you can make it look clean and professional in no time at all! I am here to show you how to do it so you can get all those gorgeous beads and stones without worrying how to use them. Let's get started!

Double Loop Bail

Single Loop Bail

Tools Materials

Round nose pliers 1. 20-24 gauge wire
Chain nose pliers 2. Briolette of choice
Cutters
Emery board

Double loop bail

Cut length of wire out of 20-22 gauge wire (I used 8" for this medieum sized stone)
Slide briolette onto wire in the center
Bring wire ends up and together, pinching them tight to the briolette top

Wrap both wires front to back over your round nose pliers to create a loop
Leave the wires wrapped around the pliers and begin wrapping under the tool and the loops
Spiral down towards the briolette and cover it if you wish
To finish the wires you can do one of three things

             A. Wrap them back up to the top and trim
             B. Tuck them underneath the other wires in the back, to hide the ends
             C. Trim and make a tiny loop end on each wire and lay it on the bead front (show in photo)

Single Loop Bail

Cut length of wire out of 20-24 (I used 2 1/2" for this small crystal)
Place round nose pliers 1 ” from one end and make a loop
Wrap the short tail under the loop to create a close loop making sure it is nice and tucked (alternately you can make an open loop instead at the very end instead of going in 1 ”, but this style is best with the 20-22 gauge)

Create a sharp bend in the wire with your flat nose pliers the make the bail loop at least ⅛-¼”” above the bead top ( I measure the bead hole to the top and add the extra so I know where to make the bend)
Slide on the bead
Make another sharp bend upward towards the bail with the remaining tail
Wrap the remaining wire up towards the bail
Trim when you reach the other wrapped wire or the bottom of the top loop< file and/or flatten the end

2 Comments

10/11/2016 0 Comments

Plain Hoop Earrings -Two Styles

Tools

Side Cutters
Round nose Pliers
Chain nose Pliers
Nail file
1" dowel (small circle hoops)
1 ⅜” dowel (medium circle hoops)
⅝” dowel (small teardrop hoops)
Ruler
A bic pen with a top

Materials

20 gauge round wire
18-16 gauge round wire

Round hoops

Cut two pieces of the thicker gauge wire 4 1/2" for small hoops or 5 ½” long for medium hoops, and file ends
Make a small loop on one end of each wire using the round nose pliers
Gently shape each one around the 1 ⅜” dowel as you feed the the straight end through the small loop (alternatively, do not feed through the hole but instead wrap the wire tail around under the small loop then cut any excess tail)
Hold the wire tightly around the dowel and then make a sharp bend right where the wire comes through the loop to make it tight
Trim tail to just to ½” and refile the end
Make a larger loop on this end with the round nose pliers to hold it in place
bend the wire of the loop up with the chain nose pliers to create a place to hang the earwire onto the frame
You may gently hammer the outside of the wire to make it looser and come off the dowel easily
Repeat procedure with other wire to create a set of frames.
If you need to make the frame more round and uniform please shape it around the Dowel.
Now take frames and gently hammer them to strengthen them up a bit

Simple Fish hook earwires

Cut one 20 gauge round wire 4” long
Make small loop with round nose pliers on both ends
Slide on loop under pen top with loop opening away from pen
Wrap wire about ¾ of the way around pen
Now do the same to the other side
Find center between the larger loop ends and cut making two earwires
Cut shorter stems if you wish (no shorter than 7/8” from top of hook to tail end)
Gently file ends with emery board
Using Chain nose pliers make a small bend on ends facing away from earring loops( if you wish) to a 20 degree angle with flat nose pliers
Lightly hammer for added strength if you wish

Teardrop hoops

Cut two pieces of the thicker gauge wire 3” long and file ends
Make a small loop on each end of the wire going in the same direction (you may backbend them if you wish)
Place ⅝” dowel in the center of the wire and curve it around the dowel till the loops meet
Make a slight bend in the loops where they meet to make them lay parallel to one another
Place the pen into the bottom center of the loop and reshape the bottom so the top loops actually lay together

Fish hook earwires with forward facing loops

Cut 4 3/4" of 20 gauge round wire and file both ends
Make a large loop with round nose pliers on both ends
Slide on loop under pen top lying flat on the pen
Wrap wire about ¾ of the way around pen
Now do the same to the other side
Create a bend just under the loop away from the larger loop on both ends then re-adjust over the pen to set in the earwire arch)
Find center between the larger loop ends and cut making two ear wires
Cut shorter stems if you wish (no shorter than ¼” from loop end bottom to tail end)
Gently file ends with emery board
Using Chain nose pliers make a small bend on ends facing away from earring loops (if you wish) to a 20 degree angle with flat nose pliers
You may gently hammer the top curve of the earwire for added strength

You can make these hoops in any size you want to and the round can become teardrop as well as the teardrop become round, just change up the dowels and alter the wire length for whatever you want to create.

Also remember to check out my store on line!

0 Comments

10/4/2016 0 Comments

Capturing an undrilled bead, Spiral style

Tools

Round nose pliers
Flat nose or chain nose pliers
Cutters
File
Sharpy
Hammer and block (for hardening)

Materials

10 - 12mm round beads
9” 18g wire per bead

Directions

Cut one piece wire 9” long (per bead)
File all ends
Mark center of each wire with sharpy
Make small loop on the ends of the wires going in opposite directions
Spiral around continuously till you reach the center mark on one side

Make same spiral on the opposite end going in the opposite direction to create a very fancy S
Gently hammer the S piece to slightly harden it
Pull up the center loop on one side to make connector *(if you are doing a chain of these beads, pull up the loop on the opposite side as well)

Fold each S in half making a v shape
Gently grab the center of one spiral and pull outward to create a cup
Repeat on other side of spiral
Place bead inside and use fingers to close and shape around the bead
It is now ready to hang

For earrings make an earwire of your choice out of 20g round wire.I have many choices in my Projects section to choose.
This technique can be used for any shape bead, even long styles, just recalculate the length of wire needed and how big a spiral you need. For a long and yet thinner beads you can spiral the wire around a dowel after making the first loop (it will look like a spring).

Also remember to go check out all my handmade jewelry in my on line store.

0 Comments

9/27/2016 0 Comments

Three Easy Earwire Styles

Tools

Round nose pliers
Flat nose or chain nose pliers
⅝” Dowel
Bic or capped pen
Cutters
File
Hammer and block (for hardening)

Materials

20 Gauge round wire (I prefer dead soft but you can use half hard)

Fish Hook Earwires-

Cut a piece of 4" wire
Make small loop with round nose pliers on both ends
Slide on loop under pen top with loop opening away from pen
Wrap wire about ¾ of the way around pen
Now do the same to the other side
Find center between the larger loop ends and cut making two earwires
Cut shorter stems if you wish (no shorter than 7/8” from top of hook to tail end)
Gently file ends with emery board
Using Chain nose pliers make a small bend on ends facing away from earring loops( if you wish) to a 20 degree angle with flat nose pliers
Gently hammer the earwires to strengthen them

Long Drop Earwires

Cut two pieces of wire 2 ¼” long and file both ends
With round nose pliers grab the wire at 7/8"- 1" from one end and bend it into a v shape (repeat with other wire)
Using flat nose pliers squeeze the wire at the bend to slightly sharpen it.
Open the wire and wrap it around the ⅝” dowel to create a curve shape
Make a small loop on the longer tail to hang your drop from
Gently hammer the earwires to strengthen them

Square/Diamond Earwires

Cut two wires 2” long and file both ends
Grab both wires with your flat nose pliers at ¼” away from one end so that tools outer edge is on the ¼” line
Make a sharp 90 degree bend
Measure ½”from bend and grab with flat nose pliers with the tool outer edge on the ½” line
Make a 90 degree bend in the same direction as before
Repeat step 4 and 5 to make last bend
Using round nose plier make a small loop on the very last bit of wire in towards the center of your square/diamond
Hammer earwires gently to strengthen them.

All the earwires can be made larger just up the size of each wire and scale the design as needed.

*For bead drops to hang from your new earwires go to Three Easy Bead Drop Styles in the projects section.

Check out my own designs in my on line store.

0 Comments

9/27/2016 0 Comments

Three Easy Bead Drop Styles

Tools

Round nose pliers
Flat nose or chain nose pliers
Cutters
File

Materials

20 gauge round wire
Beads (no longer than ½” per drop)

Basic Bead Style

Cut two pieces of wire 1 1/4" long
Make a small loop with a back bend on one end of each wire
Place on bead
Make a small loop with a back bend on the end (if the bead has too much room between it and the loop, trim just a hair off and remake the loop)

Closed Loop Drop With Bottom Loop

Cut two pieces of wire 2 ½” long
Make a small loop with a back bend on one end of each wire
Place beads onto the wires
Hold wire above beads with round nose pliers about ¼” away from the beads
Wrap wire tail around the pliers to make a loop
Wrap tail around the wire under the loop to finish the drop
Cut and file any excess tail and flatten it in
Other bead drops can be hung from the bottom loop for a long chandelier style drop

Closed Loop Drop with No bottom Loop

Cut two wires 2 ½” long
Make a small loop on one end of each wire and be sure to back bend it to center the loop on the tail
Place bead onto wire
Move bead a bit and grab the wire just under the loop with your flat nose pliers
Push tail wire up the back of the bead, keep the space with your flat nose pliers
Move flat nose pliers out of the way (you should have a little head space between the bead and the loop
Wrap the remaining tail around the wire just above the bead and upward toward the loop
Cut any left over if there is any and flatten it to the wire.
File the end if needed

These easy methods can be used for larger beads, just scale the wire length up to fit. For some earwires just go to Three Easy Earwires Styles in the projects section.

Remember to check out my online store as well.

0 Comments

6/8/2016 0 Comments

Tumbled Stone Ring

You went to the beach and collected tones of really cute shells, beach glass and stones. No wait you went to the bead store and raided all their cool polished stones. Now what? Well here is a fun project that you can do with all those awesome treasures. A wire wrap ring that is so fun you won't be ab;e to stop making them.

Materials

Tumbled stone (Preferably with angles and oblong)
18g wire 2.5-3.5ft (depending on stone and ring size)

Tools

Round nose pliers
Flat nose pliers
Cutters
File
Ring mandrel
Sharpie

Find wire center and mark it
Wrap wire around ring mandrel two times , starting at the top of the mandrel.
Use ½-1 size larger than the one you want to end with, exp I want a size 7 ring so I make band on a 7.5-8 on the mandrel.

Wrap the wires around each other going in opposite directions and keeping the flat against the band.
Continue wrapping these tails in a spiral fashion to create a rosette center for the stone to sit on

Place stone on the rosette
Wrap one tail around the stone two times then go under the band and across to the other side and wrap once around the other side
Wrap under the band and then around the band twice to secure the wrap
Cut the end on the outside of the band to 1/8" file and flatten it down on the outside band

Now wrap the other tail in the same manner around the stone and through the band to the other side of the ring.
Wrap twice around the band, cut to outside, file and flatten
If stone feels loose feel free to tweak the wires in a zig zag fashion under the band or all over to make an organic look.
Place back on the mandrel and reshape or size as needed.
Smooth out any scratches or dings with file or polishing clothe

0 Comments

5/11/2016 0 Comments

Wire Wrapped Cabochon ( Four Wire)

Tools

Round nose pliers
Flat nose pliers
Wire cutter
File
¼”-⅜” dowel or a round pen

Materials

20 Gauge wire square or round 32”
20 Gauge half round wire 16”
Cabochon 30mm x 20mm or smaller

*If you choose to use a larger cabochon adjust the length of the square wire to accommodate this change.

0 Comments

5/4/2016 0 Comments

Tree Of Life Pendant

Everyone loves a tree of life pendant. You see them at fairs and at shops. They look so difficult to make and a bit mysterious, but I am here to show you that they can be a great do it yourself pendant for beginners to wire jewelry. With just a few tools and a bit of practice you will be making this Tree of life for all your friends, in every color imaginable.

Tools

Round nose plier
Flat nose plier
Cutter
1/4" dowel
File
Dowels for frame sm 1 ¼”, md 1 ⅜”, xl 2”

Materials

16g wire for frame (sm) 7”, (md) 8”, (xl) 9”
24g wire for Tree (sm) 28”, (md) 32”, (xl) 36”
Assortment of stone chips or xsmall (2mm) beads

Directions

Cut 16g to length needed and file ends of wire
About 1 ¼ from one end of 16g make a large loop around the 1/4"
Wrap the short tail around the long one 2 times.
Make it lay smooth and file the end
Make a bend 1/8"-1/4"from bottom of wrapped bail

Shape long tail around large dowel and then wrap under bail once or twice to meet up with the other wrap.
Cut any excess, tuck in tight and file smooth
Remove frame from large dowel
Hammer frame to make it stronger, being careful to not hammer the bail.

Cut 24g wire into 4 pcs (sm)7”, (md)8’, (xl) 9”
File all ends
Fold each wire in half leaving a small u bend at centers
Starting at the center bottom wrap each wire around the frame 2 times on each side one next to the other, making a coil around the frame

Push all coils close together.
Take all eight tails and twist tie them together three to five times. This is your trunk and the shorter (less twists) it is, the fuller your tree will be.

Separate all the tails into branches
Flip tree up in front of frame
Twist tie together the second and third tails three times
Then do the same on the opposite side of tree

Now twist tie the top center tails 5 times .
Bead wire starting on one side and working your way around the frame ( picture shows starting at the top, but I found this much more difficult as I went)
Wrap remaining tail after placing beads onto wire around frame in a downward coil around the frame and tighten with your flat nose.
Check for any rough edges and smooth them out
Feel free to adjust branches if needed and retighten

For an optional look add a flat bead in ne wire as a moon or add a tiny bird, use your imagination and make it fun. You can also do it in wire only for a skeleton tree, add more branch wires so it won't look to spares. Or make it really large for a Christmas ornament or suncatcher.

To check out some of my beautiful jewelry just click here!

0 Comments

4/27/2016 0 Comments

Closed link Wire Wrap Bracelet

I know you have all seen these gorgeous closed link bracelets and wondered, could I make that? Well yes you can, and I am going to show you how.

A closed link technique can be used to make all kinds of chain designs, from these bracelets to earrings and full necklaces. It is one technique repeated over and over to make the chain. The difficult part is remembering to capture the last bead when making the new link. But if that happens just catch it in the next link, or making a matching set of earrings to go with the bracelet or necklace.

Tools

Cutters
Round nose plier
flat nose plier
¼” dowel
File

Materials

Chain (optional) 2"
22g wire 25"
20g wire 8"
8 beads size 10mm

Directions
Bead Links

Cut 22g wire into 8 pcs 3” long.
Create a loop on one end approximately ¾” from end of the wire tail.
Wrap wire closely together in a swirl motion( or coil) under the loop
With flat nose pliers flatten the wire in close

Place one bead on wire and create another loop about ⅛” away from bead
Make a loop about 1/9" away from bead and wrap the tail under the loop and around the wire to meet up with the bead and secure it.
Trim Excess if needed and flatten or tuck the end in to be smooth

Make your next bead link loop, but before you wrap the wire under the loop, make sure to catch the last bead links loop to create a chain.
Now place on bead
Make loop on other side of the bead
Repeat these steps until all eight beads are attached into a chain.

Hook and Eye Clasp
Eye

Cut 20g wire 3 ½”
Make a small loop with the 3 ½” wire like when you made the bead links and capture one end of the bead chain (and the safety chain into the loop, if you are using a chain) before wrapping it closed
Wrap long tail around the ¼” dowel about 1/8" away from finished small loop
Wrap the wire closed, under the dowel and loop until it meets the other coil making sure to trim or flatten the end

Hook

Cut 20 gauge wire 5 ½”
Make a small loop and capture the other end of the bead chain (and the safety chain as well, if using)
Wrap the wire under the loop
Now bend the tail at 1 3/4" from the finished loop and squeeze it tightly.

Holding the two wires still with your flat nose pliers wrap the remainder around the single shaft with your finger till you can not anymore.
Now switch the flat nose and with the round nose plier and continue to wrap the tail around closed and smooth
Make a loop in the double wire end around the dowel to make a hook that goes just past the finished loop
Gently bend or loop the end of the hook to make it neat

Make sure to visit my store.

0 Comments

2/3/2016 0 Comments

Heart Earrings

It's that time of year again when we send out notes of love to one another and remember how important those we care about are to us. So what says I love you more than something you made just for them? Pretty much nothing as far as I am concerned. These earrings are easy to make and your friends and family will love them! You can whip out a pair for every lady in your life, and yes it is quite all right to make some for yourself while your at it.

Tools

Round nose pliers
Cutters
File
Pen with Cap
Small Rubber hammer and block(optional)

Materials

8” 18 gauge wire
7” 20 gauge wire
2 beads 6-10mm

Directions

Cut 18 gauge wire in half making two pieces 4” long
Cut 20 gauge wire into three pieces- one 4” and two 1 ½” long
File the ends of all the wires

Beaded Connectors

Make a small loop on one end of each 20 gauge 1 ½” wire
Back bend the loop to center it on the stem
Place bead onto wire
Trim ¼” if using a 6mm bead and refile the end
Make loop on remaining wire going front to back as opposed to other loop which goes side to side (This allows hearts to hang facing forward when worn).

Hearts

Mark the center of the two remaining 4” 18 gauge wires (2” is center)
Make a small loop on both ends of each wire, rotating in towards the center
Place the loop of one wire under your pen cap with the loop facing toward the pen
Holding the cap stem tight to keep the wire in place rotate the pen in toward the center mark on the wire
Remove pen and repeat on the other side

Repeat steps 3- 5 on other wire
Holding the wire on the center mark with your round nose pliers bend each side up and in toward the mark to create the heart, repeat on other wire.
Feel free at this time to adjust the loops on each heart to your liking, then hammer gently to make them slightly harder and more smooth looking.

Ear Wires
Use my directions for the ear wires in this link.(4" of 20 gauge will be used)

Assemble

Open the loops on the bead connectors (sideways)
Place one end on the earwire and close
Place heart on the other end and close
Repeat on other side making sure the heart faces the opposite direction and you are done.

Don't forget to check out my handmade jewelry for sale as well.

0 Comments

2/2/2016 0 Comments

Cross wrap Pendant

Another great project for those found objects, stones, shells and odd shape pieces. This pendant is simple in technique yet powerful in it's beauty. You can also tuck the wires under the base wire for a cleaner look, I got the inspiration for this pendant design from Eva Marie Sherman's Infinity wrap published in Wire Jewelry magazine February/March 2015 issue.

Tools Materials

Round nose pliers 1. 3 ft 20 gauge round wire
Flat nose pliers 2. Stone or found object
Cutters
File
¼” Dowel

Directions

Cut three pieces of 20g into 12” long
File ends
Holding wires parallel to each other find the center
Wrap at the center around a ¼” dowel just till wires cross
Wrap one set of wires around the other to create a bail

Place stone into wires right up under the basil and wrap, three wires in front of the stone and three in the back
Wrap front wires down the front then up the back to become parallel to the back wires
Hold back wires with thumb and bend them up to a 90 degree angle at the center
Now put thumb on both sets of wires and cross the front wire in the opposite direction 90 degrees to make a cross

Flip stone over and pull each set of wires across the stone to meet parallel across the stone center
Hold center with thumb and cross each set of wires 90 degree angle in opposite directions just like on the back
Continue the spiral trying to keep the wires flat

Wrap The tails up around/under the bail one full time to end up in the front. Trim and curl the ends to finish them off.

*For a more advanced design trim the tails 1/4" past base wires instead of wrapping them around the bail, then curl them under the base wires. Be careful not to scratch the stone or object. You can use an awl to bring the base wires away from the object to make it a bit easier. Then if stone is to loose tighten the bail wires by placing the dowel into the bail and twist until the wires tighten up around your object.

0 Comments

1/2/2016 0 Comments

Cross Wrap Ring

So you have a box of found objects that are collecting dust and you only bring them out once in a while when your feeling nostalgic, right? Well I decided it was time to do something great with those objects and enjoy them every day. I was inspired by a design I saw by Eva Marie Sherman and I tweaked it a bit to show more of the object and I also did a few trial runs to perfect it for my design. The technique is not difficult but the wrap can be tricky because that cool object wants to get away back into the box, But you can do it and with practice you'll be a pro in no time.

So go get that box and your tools and let's get started!

Tools

Wire cutters
Flat nose pliers
File
Ring mandrel

Materials

Found object (no larger than a nickle, preferably not to round or circular)
3 pcs of 20 gauge dead soft wire (round or square) 10" long each

Directions

1. Lay the three wires flat next to each other and tape the together keeping them parallel to one another.
2. Mark the center of the wires on the tape

lace center of wires onto ring mandrel 1/2 size larger than finished ring will be.
Wrap wires around to front center of mandrel crossing the wires
Holding the shank twist the wires around each other keeping the wires parallel
Continue to twist them around in a spiral design trying to keep them as flat and parallel as possible and make one rotation

Turn over mandrel and press down on the ring to flatten the wires and create a good base for your object
Make sure twist is tight on the mandrel
Place object onto the ring and adjust the direction of the wires to create a good capture

Holding the object on the shank, fold over one set of wires across it trying to keep the object centered and the wires parallel
Now fold over the other wire across the object as well
Cross and twist the wires around each other like we did to create the base. We are only crossing them once not a full rotation around each other.
Make sure wires are still parallel and that they are going to hold the object secure when wrapped under the shank.

Before we take the ring off the mandrel do any size adjusting (remeber ring should be 1/2 size larger now than when it is finished) making sure the object is tight and secured properly, and that the wires are facing the shank they will wrap around.
Wrap one side of the wires under the shank keeping them snug on the object and keeping the object centered.
Fold wires around the shank and wrap over

Trim wires and either tuck them under between the object and shank to prevent scratching the wearer or wrap the wires flat on the outside of the shank and file them.
Now wrap the opposite side in the same way to finish the wrapping

Place the ring back on the mandrel to check size and reshape if needed. You may gently hammer the shank if it is smaller than you wanted
Remove tape, polish and show off!

0 Comments

11/18/2015 0 Comments

Large Leaf Hoop Earrings

These fun earrings can be made for fall in copper or gold and with browns ,reds and dark greens or for Summer/Spring in silver with lighter greens and blues. Let your imagination go wild and make a set for every season! This is a beginner project with some difficulty.

Dawn Rosell Design.com

Tools

Ruler
Round Pen with cap
Emery board(nail file)
Round nose pliers
Flat nose or smooth chain nose pliers
Wire cutters

Materials

16” of 18 gauge round wire
3.5” of 20 gauge round wire
2 6mm beads

Directions
To create the ear wires for this project, go to my tutorial Simple Fish hook Ear wires

Leaf Component

Cut 16” 18 gauge wire in half to make two wires 8” long
File both ends smooth
On one end of each wire make a small loop then back bend it to make it centered to remaining wire

Place one bead onto each wire
Now make a 90 degree angle in the wire about ⅛”- ¼” away from the bead
This should leave you with approximately 7” of wire left from the bend

Place your round nose pliers on the wire at 2 ½” from the last bend of the wire
Wrap the wire tail around the pliers to make a sharp bend in the wire
Gently unbend the 90 degree angle just a bit to readjust the wire

Don't forget to check out some of my store designs as well!

Open slightly the sharp bend at the bottom
Gently Sliding your finger from the top bend down to the bottom bend and adding a small amount of pressure as you slide create a curve in both your wires
Place round nose pliers at the bottom bend with the tools out nose holding the outer wire
Bend back the wire away from the center just a bit

Sliding your finger gently with a small amount of pressure create a rounding on the opposite side from the bend to the top so the wire crosses itself
Tweak the shape a bit if you wish to but remember they do not have to be exactly the same, just close to the same.
Holding the two wires tightly where they cross wrap the end wire under the bead and through the leaf just using your finger to do this

Now bend the end wire up again and under the last wrap stopping when the wire is in the center of the leaf(If you need to use the flat nose pliers to make a tighter wrap feel free just don’t use to hard a hand or you will warp the leaf)
Use flat nose pliers to tighten
Now using the slide method with your finger again make the vein curved and more centered
Now just open the ear wires and place the leaves on and close the loops, to finish your fun earrings

*If you have done any hammering before you may gently and carefully hammer the fish hook wires and leaves before assembling them together, just watch out for the connections and the beads.

0 Comments

8/4/2015 0 Comments

Wire weave Teardrop Pendant

Tools

Round nose pliers
Flat nose pliers
Cutter
Ruler
Sharpie
⅜” dowel
Ring mandrel or 1” dowel

Materials

18g wire 18”
26-24g wire 24”
¾ ” teardrop stone

I love to do Custom work, let's get creative and make something really special!

Directions

Cut 18g wire into two even pieces(9”)
Mark center of the wires then mark out 1” on either side of the center mark
Wrap 1” of thinner wire around one 18g wire on one of the outer marks heading toward the center of the wire.
Holding second 18g wire begin wrapping around the second wire three times
Weave back to the first wire and wrap it three times

Alternate back and forth just before you get to the last mark on the wires
Be sure to keep smushing the wires together and keep them ¼” apart as you weave.
Now wrap 1” of coils around the 18g wire to finish weave
trim and flatten wire
Shape wire woven wires around the 1” dowel or ring mandrel to make a hammock for the stone bottom.
Shape as needed carefully around the stone, you may use painters tape to help hold the stone( I found the tape would not stay on my stone because it was so small and smooth)

Bend front and back wires at top to capture the stone
Wrap back wires around the ⅜” dowel to create a bail leaving tails flat against the stone back
Using front wires wrap around the bail twice so tails end in the stone front

Trim back wires, file them and curl them up towards the bail to hide ends
Trim and then curl the front wires flat to make a pretty design and to help secure the stone.

0 Comments

7/14/2015 0 Comments

Wire Globe Cage Bead Earrings

Tools

Round nose pliers
Flat nose pliers
Cutters
File
Pen (bic with cap)
Ring mandrel , 1/2" or 5/8” dowel

Materials

20g half round wire 8”
20g round wire 36” (3ft)
Two beads or 1/2" pee wee marbles 10-12mm

Check out all the other things I make!

Directions
Making the cages….

Cut 20g round wire into nine pieces each one 4” long
Set aside one wire and make two groups of four wires with the remaining wires
Bundle four wires together and using half round wire(round side out)and flat nose pliers, tightly wrap the bundle in the center four times
Make sure the ends fall on the same side of the bundle. This will be the inside of the cage.
Repeat the bundle wrapping with the other four wires

Note about sizes to use: 10mm beads use 1/2" dowel or size one on ring mandrel. 12mm or 1/2" marbels use 5/8" dowel or ring size 3-4

Take one bundle and wrap the wires around your dowel or ring mandrel at the size noted above for your bead size. Try to center the wrap section.
With flat nose pliers at the center top (opposite of the wrap) bend all the wires to a 90 degree angle away from the mandrel. This should look like an upside down lollipop.
Using flat nose pliers and half round wire wrap all eight wires four to five times starting at the base of the sharp bends going upwards toward wire ends. Try to keep the wires flat at the wrap.

Pull seven of the wires away from one another in a star like pattern.
Leave one as close to centered as possible (this will be our earring hanger)
Trim all the wires to ½” long
Now curl the seven wires down towards the cage
Take off the mandrel

Using your nail gently pry one wire from each side out just a bit then use round nose pliers and pull them out more so they are only about ⅛” away from each other.
Repeat this process with the next wire on each side making them about ⅛” away from last two. You should have a half circle.
Turn over to other side and do the same process only this time move two sets of wires at a time ⅛” away from the back( this way we still have a small opening to place our bead into the cage.
Place the bead into the cage and then pull the last two wires to close the cage.
Depending on bead size you will have wiggle room between the bead and cage.
Feel free to tweak the cage if needed, but do so gently so not to warp the cage.
Now trim the remaining wire to ⅜-½” long and make a small loop with a back bend to hang the earring onto an ear wire.