Siam Ornament

Length

a little over 1.5" (44 mm)

Materials

10 mm red crystal beads

Gold colored wire

2 gold spacer beads

Scarlet Rain

Length

2.75" or 42 mm

Materials

Gold colored wire

18 x 11 mm Red Multi-colored glass bead

Red Revolution

Length: 2"

 Supplies: 

2 - 18 x 13 mm flat oval bead

2 - gold jump beads

2 - 3" 22 guage gold colored copper wire (for hooks)

2 - 4" 22 guage gold colored copper wire (for beads)

Tools
Basic Tool Kit

Ring Mandrel or Sharpie marker (to create round bend for hooks)

Duration
15 minutes

The Idea

To create the hook, take the 2" wire and create a loop at one end. Wrap the wire around a cylindrical object, something like a permanent marker for the round bend. 

With a gold wire, create simple loop and continue rolling over the wire. Use flat nose pliers to hold wire parallel while rolling wire. Make 2-3 loops, insert bead and close loop with same rolling technique. Center decorative wire on bead. Attach hook and gem with jump bead. Create matching earring.

Crimson Clover

 

Supplies:
4 -10 mm round red glass beads

2 - 2 mm clear with gold foil glass seed beads

1 - 30" gold colored copper wire, cut into sections. see below

(2 - 6" gold colored copper wires, 20 guage; 6 - 3" gold colored copper wires, 20 guage)

Tools
Basic Tool Kit

Extra Chain Nose Pliers for wire wrapping

Duration
30 minutes

Length: 3"

The Idea

To make the leaflet: Determine the center of the 6" wire and with the chain nose pliers, make a bend on the halfway point. Fold the wire just until the two open ends meet. About 3/4" from the open ends of the wire, use chain nose pliers to make a bend, perpendicular to the other open end of the wire. Now you can wrap the wire to create something similar to the wire wrapped loop, but without the loop. Wrap the wire around 2-3 times. Cut the excess wire and tuck the ends in. Now you should have a one wire sticking out on the top. Insert one seed bead. Cut the wire down to about 1/4" from the bead and create a simple wire loop. Seperate the wires to your desired size of leaf. You can straighten out any kinks on the wire with nylon covered pliers so you doesn't mar the wire.

Add the beads: Start with bending back about 1" of the end of a 3" wire. Wrap the wire around one wire of the leaflet about 2-3 times. Add the red bead and close the wire on the same side wire.Wrap around about 2-3 times again. Repeat on the other wire. Experiment and place the beads anywhere you think looks good. Cut of excess wire and tuck the ends in.

Create hooks with the remaining wire. I used a wire-jig. If you don't have a wire-jig, you can certainly use something cylinder (marker, pen, etc.)

Tip:

This make take a few attempts to make something without any marring on the wire. Practice makes perfect!

Round About

Supplies:
2 - round glass beads

2 - 6" silver wire, 20 - 22 guage

Tools
Basic Tool Kit

Duration
15 minutes

Length: 2"

The Idea
About 1 1/2" from the end, wrap the silver wire around a smooth barreled object (a pen works great). Cross the ends of the wire and at the section where they intersect, bend the longer wire up 90 degrees with a chain nose pliers. Wrap the tail around the base and close it as if you were making a huge wire wrapped loop.

Straighten the remaining wire if needed and slide the bead to lay on top of the circle. Depending on how long you want your earring (I recommend about 1 - 1 1/2"), wrap the wire around a pen to create the "U" shape. Make sure it's perpendicular to the circle. Cut the remaining wire to your desired length and curl up the last 1/4". File to smooth away any rough edges on the wire. Repeat for other earring. 

Tip:

Round beads work better for this. You won't have to worry about them turning to the side.

Design Inspired by Sara Schwittek; Perfect Match - earring designs for every occasion 2008