ECT TV Episode 41: Spiral and Bead Link Earrings

Today I have a fun and unique pair of earrings for you to make.  If you've been following along with all the ECT TV episodes, you've made all the components of these earrings in one way or another.  Today we will put those components together in a different way.I think that's one of the great thing about learning online.  You can gather up the skills and techniques and then put them together in different ways.  So if you make these earrings as I show you, great.  But I also encourage you to try different things and put together different components in different ways.ECT TV Episode 41:Step by Step Photo Tutorial for the Earrings:Materials and Tools:

• 16 gauge half-hard round wire (you could use 18 if you like, but the spirals will be smaller.)
• 20 gauge half-hard round wire
• Beads of your choice.  I used 2 small per earring, but you could use one large
• Wire cutters
• Round nose pliers
• Chain nose pliers
• Bent nose pliers
• Nylon or rawhide hammer and steel bench block

Step #1Working off the spool of 16 gauge wire, make a loop.  First make sure the end is flush cut.Hold the wire in round nose pliers.  I wrapped on the part closest to the handle to create a large center to the spiral.  The wire should be at the top of the pliers but not poking through.Twist your wrist away wrapping the wire around the pliers.  Twist as far as you can and then readjust and complete the loop.  It will look like a "P."Step #2Hold the loop in chain nose pliers and spiral around the original loop.You can go around as many times as you like, just make sure you do the same thing for both (you'll make 2 for a pair of earrings.)I went around 3 times.Step #3Cut the wire leaving a tail of about 1/2 an inch.Step #4Make a loop in the same way you made the loop in Step #1.  I didn't make this loop as large.Step #5Hammer the spiral charm with a nylon or rawhide hammer to harden the wire.  (If you don't have a hammer/steel block, you can skip this step and it will be fine.Repeat to make a second spiral charm.Step #6Now we'll make earring wires.  Alternatively you could simply use pre-made earring wires.Cut two pieces of 20 gauge wire about 3 inches long.  Make sure the ends are flush cut and they're exactly the same size.Step #7Make a loop on one end of each wire in the same way you made a loop in Step #1.  I have a mark on my pliers to make these loops so that the loops are the same size.Step #8Line up the wires and bend them around a sharpie or something similar.Step #9Use chain nose pliers to bend back the end slightly.Step #10Use a wire rounder or jewelry file to round out the edges of the wire.Step #11Use a nylon or rawhide hammer to hammer the earring wires and harden them.Step #12Next we'll make a wire wrapped bead link.Cut a piece of 20 gauge wire about 4 inches long.  Hold the wire in round nose pliers about a third of the way down.Step #13Wrap the wire toward you and around the pliers to form a loop.Step #14Straighten the loop so it's centered.  In the video for the episode this is a little easier to see, but I make a wrap and pull the long end of the wire straight at the same time.Step #15Wrap the short wire around the longer wire a few times and trim off the excess.Step #16Use your chain nose pliers to make sure that the wire is not sticking out.Step #17Slide on your bead(s) and make a wire wrapped loop on the other side.  Hold the wire slightly above the beads and follow the previous steps to make a wire wrapped loop.Repeat to make a second wire wrapped bead link.Step #18Now you have made all the components and you just need to put them together.Open the loop on the spiral charms just like opening a jump ring.Step #19Place one of the loops of the bead link in the opening and close the loop.Step #20Open the loop on the earring wire.Step #21Place the other loop of the bead link in the earring wires and close it.Repeat for the second earring.Customize these:

• Try different beads
• Try different sizes of spirals
• Try different wire for the spirals - different gauges, different colors, etc.

Want to learn how to make more spiral jewelry?  Check out my Spire Wire Jewelry eBook.Get 7 different jewelry tutorials plus 2 technique tutorials delivered to you immediately in your email via PDF eBook.Are you on the list?  When you join my email list, you get a free 14 Day eCourse, Intro to Jewelry Making, PLUS when I release new ECT TV episodes you get the tutorial in PDF form!  Learn more and sign up here.