Wire Wrapped Bead Jewelry: Earrings

So my little sneak peak from Saturday - was from the wire wrapped beaded jewelry that I've been working on.

I am completely loving this collection - so while I haven't figured out how to wrap, or apparently spell, a bauble, that did lead me to these little numbers.

Interested in making your own set? Let's start with the earrings.

Materials needed:

• 22 Gauge Wire
• 2 9mm beads, pearls or whatever you want.
• Earring findings
• Chain nose pliers
• Round nose pliers
• Wire cutters

Step 1 - Cut 2 5" lengths of the 22 gauge wire

Step 2 - Line the top of the 2 lengths of wire at the top. (Your about to make an eye pin, so if you know how to do this, just skip on down to step 7)

Step 3 -With the chain nose pliers at about 7/8th of an inch from the top of the wire, bend the top of the wire towards you.

Step 4 - Clamp the wire at the short side of the bend with the round nose pliers.

Step 5 - With your finer, wrap the wire around the top clamp of the round nose pliers and down so that the point is facing the same as the other end of the wire.

Step 6 - Change the position of the pliers so that the loop is now on the bottom clamp of the round nose pliers. Then wrap the shorter tail, around the longer one until you've gone around twice.

At this point, I like to make my other eye pin rather than continue on just the first earring.

Step 7 - Slide your bead onto the eye pin.

Step 7 - Bend the tail of the eye pin 90°

Step 8 - Using the round nose pliers, hold the tail of the eye pin wire and bein wrapping the tail wire around the pliers.

Step 9 - Holding the already wrapped part of the bead, and the wire firmly in your left hand, begin wrapping the wire around the bead, turning and pinching as you go.

Step 10 - When you get to the top of the bead, wrap the wire around the loops on the eye pin and then cut the excess wire.

Repeat steps 7-10 for the second bead.

Step 11 - Open the loop on the earring finding by twisting the loop open, not by pulling.

Step 12 - Hang the bead on the loop and close it.

And there you have it - a pair of wire wrapped earrings.

Tomorrow - I'll go through the tutorial for the coordinating bracelet.