Saturday, July 19, 2008

Wire Jig Chandelier Earrings

Well, today I'm back to making jewelry. I recently bought a wire jig from Michaels to try out. I eventually want to get good enough at using it so I can buy some sterling silver wire. It would be a little too expensive to say "oops" every time I bent something the wrong way!
So, here it goes...


The wire I'm using is copper-filled and 18 gauge. The lower the number the thicker the wire is, the higher the number the thinner the wire is. The pegs for this jig can be placed wherever you want in the holes to create the design you're looking for.


Once you've got your design complete, pull the wire gently off the pegs and use wire cutters to snip the end off before you tuck it under or make your final loop.

Like my "anvil" below? ha ha! Here I'm hammering my wire form flat. It helps to strengthen it.

I chose my Swarovski crystals that I'd like to hang from the chandelier earrings. I'm using three 4mm bicones and one 6mm bicone for each earring. The findings I need are an earwire, three headpins and five jumprings. I'm making loops on each headpin. Here are varying stages on the dangles I'm making...


Below I am attaching the earwire to the chandelier with two jumprings...this way it will hang the proper way from my ear.

And here is the finished earring with dangles attached. Hope you like it. Off I go to make the second one...see you later!

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