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My "Hypnotize Me" bead embroidered pendant uses wire wrapped dangles as fringe.
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How easy is this? Take a couple of beads and string them on
a head pin. Make a wrapped loop, and you've got one of the most versatile
components for jewelry making and beading projects that you can imagine. (Next
to my favorite peyote-stitch beaded beads, of course!) A wire dangle with a
couple of beautiful beads can be used for much more than earrings.
A couple of summers ago, I discovered that using wire
dangles as fringe on some of my beaded cabochon pendants gave the pendants a
whole new look! I was getting tired of using the same old fringe techniques and
I wanted to do something that matched the antique brass chain that I had used.
Since the cabochon was goldstone, I decided to use some faceted goldstone beads
to make wire wrapped dangles, and then stitched them to the beaded edging on
the cabochon. Wire dangles make great fringe!
Here's an easy tutorial for making beaded wire spirals. Make
a few and see what uses you can up with for them:
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Cut a 3 inch piece of 18 gauge wire. (I used gold colored
craft wire for this project.) Using your chain nose pliers, make a tiny bend at
the very tip of the wire. Squash the bend flat. |
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Grasping the flattened bend in your chain nose pliers,
gently start to wrap your wire around the bend. Continue to wrap the wire,
forming a spiral. |
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When you're happy with the size and shape of your spiral,
use your chain nose pliers to make a 90o angle in the top of the
wire. |
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Add a few accent beads and seed beads and gently make a
wrapped loop to secure. |
These little dangles make great quick earrings or you can
even use them for fringe and other accents on beaded jewelry! (Can you imagine
a necklace with a right-angle weave base and hundreds of these tiny little
beaded wire spirals hanging from it? I can!)
If you want to learn more easy wire work techniques and
simple wire projects that you can easily incorporate into your favorite beaded
jewelry, you'll want to check out Step By Step Wire magazine. It's loaded with
step-by-step instructions, beautiful wire jewelry making projects, and expert
advice from today's top wire jewelry designers. Subscribe to Step By Step Wire
magazine and make sure you don't miss a single issue!
Have you found a unique way to use wire work in your beading
projects? Share your tips and ideas here on the blog!
Bead Happy,
Jennifer
Filed under: Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making