Wire Wrap Earrings Tutorial: InterMed: How To Make Three Spirals, Wire Earrings

These might take a time or two. They're great to use for anything but perhaps the spirals take some practice. I'd recommend craft wire until you get the feel of it. Otherwise, this is my THIRD tutorial! Hooraaay! I hope you enjoy them.

The finished project are the wire spirals in that photo. Useful for earrings of many fun kinds!

Click on any of the images to enlarge.










You'll Need:
1. Round nose pliers
2. Flat nose
3. File
4. Cutters
5. 2 Gold Fill ear hooks
6. 2, 18 gauge, soft, round, gold fill wires, cut to 6 inches each.



1. After your wires are cut from the spool, get them as straight as you can by rubbing them once or twice. This will also add a bit of tension to the wire.

2. File the ends a time or two to smooth the cut end.

3. Take the round nose pliers and create a bend about 1.5 inches down one side of the wire.





4. Then using your round nose plier, grab the end of the wire and create a tight spiral, moving in the opposite direction as your first bend. Pause and see the next image.







5. This is what you should have. Creating your spiral in this direction creates a nice natural soft "S" shape to the wire. You will create about 2 full turns. This will be tightened up later so don't sweat it.







6. Remove the pliers from the loop and grab the loose end of the wire about 3/4 inches down from the loop intersection.


7. Grab the wire with the 'small' end of the plier and create a tight loop, over lapping the wire on the 'top'. Click that image to enlarge and get a good look. Bring the wire around, the best that you can. This is where you might have to muscle it a bit. You are going to create another spiral above the 3/4 inch straight part. This requires that you wrap this wire above it. Once you get the first bend around the center loop, it will be easier to get your flat nose pliers and continue the spiral. See the next image for a glance ahead.


8. Continue to spiral three complete turns and the spiral will grow to almost meet the first one.

9. Once the second spiral is created, take the round nose pliers and grab the top of the loose end. You're about to make the final spiral.







10. Create this spiral moving in the opposite direction as the second one. You are creating the shape of an "S" in between them. Use your flat nose pliers and gently continue that spiral until you meet the intersection of the first two. This will require a little muscle also and patience. You need a firm grip, but gentle enough to not scratch your wire. Take your time and manage control over the shape. Adjust your loop and first spiral as you go. the goal is to create a 'threesome' as evenly as you can.



11. This will be the finished set. Here's a word of forward thinking... when making earrings, and especially so with wire spirals... keep in mind that one earring goes in 'one direction' and the bends of the other, go in the other direction.

It's not harmful if you make two pair the same, or if the spirals are a little off...it's the charm of handmade... but it is something to be aware of.




Now, I didn't 'finish' these because I wanted you to see how many things are possible with this simple design. Click to enlarge that image. I show the backside on the left and the front of the earring is the one on the right. You have a small intersection where you can attach all kinds of fun beads.

You can put a small chain of three or four links on these, string up a number of these beads and create a few different looks. You can also use this technique by using longer wire and adding a couple more turns in the spirals, to create a pendant to match the earrings. Adding a couple more turns will create a slightly larger version of these earrings. Nice for a matched set. Remember that you have that 'straight spine to the back of the earring to attach anything you need. I made these loops at the earring tops larger because I like to wrap with a silver half round wire, but you can optionally make that loop smaller, the spirals larger... have fun with it and try different things for your own look. I'm hoping that this simple multi-spiral project will give you something versatile to play with!

I'll post mine when I get them done. This looks great in silver wire also! Something I like to do with earrings lately is mix the metals. I think the larger gold wire accented with silver half round is cool look. I think that's what I'm going to do...

Have fun and thanks for visiting here! Now I have to remove my beast and finish my earrings. You see why I can be so disorganized? Half my beads leave the table in between her toe nails.... sheesh!















~ Okay, here are my finished pair. I added some half round silver wire in 21 gauge to the top to give some substance and shine there. Then using the back spine and some thin silver wire, attached these two AAA 8mm, Iolite, briolette beads.... ooolala! I hope this project gives you some wonderful ideas!

~ Polish off the paw prints, put into a cute white bowl (yes that's what my 'background' is), get some photos ... and poof! Another wonderful pair of earrings ready for holidays or any daze! ;)
Enjoy and have fun with these.