Beaded earrings feature hammered silver wire and colored beads.
Materials
- 13-inch length of 20-gauge silver wire
- Ruler
- Wire cutters
- Two 6mm green beads
- Two silver ear wires (ball-style shown)
- Round-nose pliers
- Chain-nose (flat, smooth jaw) pliers
- Hammer and anvil or other hard surface
- Size 10 ring mandrel or 3/4-inch wooden dowel
Instructions
HOOPS:
- Cut two 3-inch lengths of silver wire.
- Use round-nose pliers to form small eye loops at each end of both wires.
- Wrap each wire around ring mandrel or dowel to form two 3/4-inch circles for the hoops.
- Use hammer to flatten and harden both hoops.
SPIRALS:
- Cut two 2-1/2-inch lengths of silver wire.
- Holding the ends of both wires together as one, wrap wires around the round-nose pliers to form starting loop on each wire. Continue to wrap wires to form two spirals. Form a loop at the top of each spiral. Cut off any excess wire from each.
- Use hammer to flatten and harden both spirals.
- Use chain-nose pliers to bend top loop to a 90-degree angle to the spiral.
BEAD LINKS:
- Cut two 1-inch lengths of silver wire.
- Use round-nose pliers to form a starting 1/4-inch-diameter eye loop on one wire.
- String one bead on the wire and form a slightly smaller eye loop close to bead.
- Repeat with second wire piece to form another bead link.
ASSEMBLY:
- Use chain-nose pliers to open large eye loop on one bead link.
- String one end loop of a hoop, the top loop of a spiral and then the second loop of the same hoop onto large eye loop of bead link.
- Close loop on bead link.
- Repeat to assemble second earring.
- Attach an ear wire to each earring.
Finished Size: Each earring measures 3/4 inch across x 2 inches long.
Craft originally sent in by Diane Arabian of Rochester, New Hampshire
