by Deborah Kelly
Now available made-to-order from DCDK.Jewelry
Materials Needed
2 pieces of 16 or 18 gauge round wire 12 inches long.
2 pieces of 26 gauge round wire 3 feet long
2 beads 10 or 12 mm
Tools need
Round nose pliers
Flat or chain nose pliers
6 step bail pliers or 9mm dowel
Wire cutters.
Instructions
Step 1
Make a loop on one end of each short wire.
Make the loops the same size with either round nose pliers or the smallest step on the six step bail making pliers.
Step 2
Use your fingers to shape the wire into a arch right under the loop in the long pieces of wire.
I run the wire along the top of my thumb, using m thumb to push on the wire slightly while my ring finger keeps the wire on my thumb.
Doing this should create a arch in the wire away from your thumb.
Bend both wire to try to make the arch the same.
Step 3
Gently Bend the wire to form an arc the opposite way.
Try to make it a smooth transition.
Try to make a very gentle S shape.
Both the arcs together should be about 2 ½ inches long.
If longer the earring will be longer if shorter the earrings will be shorter.
Step 4
Put the two wires on top of each other.
About 2 ½ to 3 inches from the top of the loop bend the wire back up towards the loop.
I find it best to bend both wires at the same time to make the earrings as close to the same shape as possible.
Step 5
Use flat or chain nose pliers to pinch the where the wire is bent till it touches.
Try to make the bend as tight as possible.
Like always when making shaped earring do both of them at the same time.
Step 6
Open up the closed wire, only the point should be close to touching.
Make a gentle arch right above the bend going back up to where the top loop is.
The arch should go from the point just made to the base of the loop on the top of the earring.
Step 7
Bend the wire around the loop on the top of the earring.
Make sure to bend the wire on opposite sides of the leaves so when done you have mirror images in the earrings.
To bend the wire on opposite sides on one wire bring the tail end of the wire behind the loop and bend around to the front, on the other earring bring the tail end to the front side of the loop and bend it to the back.
Step 8
Take the end wire and bend it back to meet the side of the wire with just one arc on it.
The wire should meet the outside wire 1 to ½ inches down from the loop.
This is the space the weaving will be in.
Stack the two earrings on top of each other to get the curves as close as possible.
Step 9
The side of the earring where the wire comes up from the wire to go around the loop is now the back side of the earring.
Take one of the 26 gauge wires, the weaving wires, and wrap it around the outside wire on the side with one arc on it 3 times.
When wrapping the wire start next to the loop and wrap away from the loop.
Wrap so the end of the wire is coming up from the outside and back of the earring.
Cut off the small tail end of the wire and smooth with either flat nose or chain nose earrings.
Step 10
Take the weaving wire to the back of the other wire the weave is going to go in.
Wrap the weaving wire around the 2nd base wire one full time.
The wire should be coming up from the outside and bottom of the wire.
Take the weaving wire to the back side of the 1st base wire (the wire the weave was began on).
Wrap the wire one full time around the base wire and then take it to the back side of the other base wire.
Repeat.
This weave creates a cross over effect because you go from the top of one wire to the bottom of the other wire.
Step 11
Continue this weave till the wires meet about 1 to 1 ½ inches from the top loop or about ½ way down.
While doing this weave use your thumb nail or pliers to push the wire up and keep it uniformed.
Take this slow because the weave is going to try to slip down the wires.
Step 12
Take the bail pliers or dowel and bend the wire up and around the largest step of the bail making pliers.
Bend the wire around till it is coming off the bottom of the bail making pliers, so just over one full wrap around the pliers.
The tail end of the wire should be going towards the outside of the earring with the 2 curves in it.
Step 13
Gently bend the tail of the wire in a curve till it touches the outside wire with two curves then bend a curve the wire back the other way just above the bottom point of the earring.
It should be a nice gentle curve from the bottom of the loop to touching the outside wire then away from it.
Step 14
Take the weaving wire and wrap it around the wire forming the large loop.
Take the weaving wire thru the bead and wrap it around the loop on the other side one or two times.
Take the weaving wire back thru the bead and wrap around the wire making the big loop.
Step 15
Wrap the weaving wire around the wire going towards the bottom of the wire making a loose coil.
By loose coil I mean go around the wire but instead of making the wraps right next to each other leave a space between each wire two to three times wider then the wrapping wire.
When the wrapping reaches where the two big wires meet wrap the weaving wire around the two big wires three times, then wrap the weaving wire around the wire being coiled around 3 times to end the weaving wire.
Cut the wire and smooth down with pliers.
Step 16
Cut the end off the thick wire about 1 inch from where the weaving wire ended.
Using round nose pliers swirl the tail end of the wire up into the space available.
The first earring is now done.
Step 17
Make the other earring like the first.
Compare the length of the weave on the earrings to try to make them as similar as possible.
The earrings are not going to be exactly the same no matter how much you try, just get as close as possible.
Once done put on earring hooks and your new earrings are ready to wear.
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