Wire Jewelry Making - Create Wire Beads

If you love getting creative with wire jewelry, then try your hand at crafting these twisty, curly, swirly beads. They are unique and easy to create and truly one of a kind. These beads can add a swirly new dimension to wire jewelry making and other styles of jewelry as well.

Slip one of these wire creations in between glass or ceramic beads on a necklace. Add them as twisty metal accents to a bracelet. Dangle them from earrings. Use them however you choose. You begin simply with a few feet of wire. Once you learn the technique, you can experiment with adding your own artsy touches.

Tools
Needle nosed Pliers
Round Nosed pliers
A slim rod (a slender pencil will do)

Materials
20 Gauge wire
16 or 18 gauge wire
Beads (Optional)

Create your bead

Cut a 2ft length and a 6 inch length of 20 gauge wire for each bead you wish to make.

Create a wire tube. Form your wire tube using a rotating motion while curling your wire around the very tip of your round nosed pliers (see illustration #2)

Your finished wire tube should be approximately 2&1/2 inches long

Slip your 6 inch piece of wire inside your wire tube.

Center it so that equal lengths of wire extend from each end.

Use your needle nosed pliers to tighten the wire tube ends onto the inner wire.

Use your round nosed pliers to coil your wire tube into a bead or...

If it's easier, coil your wire tube around a slim rod. (see illustration #3)

Finish the ends of your beads

You may finish your beads in one of two ways.

Create a swirl with the extended wire piece at the end. (see illustration #4)

Roll the swirl into place so the holes are at the center of each end of your bead, or

Turn the wire extension to form a coiled tube at both ends.

You're done.

Using your beads

Create earrings

-Make an eye pin (A piece of wire with a loop at the end) with 16 or 18 gauge wire.

-Slip your eye pin through the bead hole.

-Use your wire beads with colorful beads or alone.

-Finish the other end of the eye pin with a second loop.

-Add a wire swirl at one end.

-Dangle from a pair of ear wires.

Add wire beads to a bracelet or necklace

-Slip your beads on tiger tail or cord along with glass beads.

-Add an eye pin and dangle them like a charm.

Experiment with your wire beads

Instead of forming your bead around a round rod, try a flat narrow item like a small, narrow file.

Try cutting your wire longer to make a bigger bead.

For an open look, stretch out your wire tube before slipping the wire piece inside.

When you stretch out your wire tube, it will be longer. You will need a longer inner wire as well.

Try twisting 2 - two feet pieces of wire together, then form your wire tube.

For a more delicate wire bead, try using a smaller gauge wire such as 22 or 24 gauge.

Source:
Personal wire projects