Hanaleimom applies for membership

[claudenancy]

Really lovely pieces! Nice job with such pretty pearls. I admire your courage to start with wire wrapping--the hard part!

 

[Hanaleimom]

pearlss

pearlss

I retook some pictures of my pieces. I like the 2 pearls. On the neck, they transformed into cherry and green and constrast each other really well. I saw a website where 2-pearl pendants are named "You and Me". I think it's a cute name.

 

[Hanaleimom]

pelosi

pelosi

I bought some pearls from Care, my first purchase from Druzydesigns. I made a Pelosi tin cup necklace last week. There are 2 gold pearls left and I will wire-wrap them to make earrings for hoops later. I am really slow at wrapping and kept messing up. It doesn't help that I am a perfectionist, so I kept cutting them up and re-wrapped because I wasn't happy with the loops. These are made with gold-filled headpins. When I get better I may replace with 14K.

 

[Raisondetre]

Nice work!

Now, I've never made earrings before, so I'm going to ask some dumb questions. Apart from the ear wires (or clip-ons/screwbacks since I don't have pierced ears) the main components of your earrings would be the head pin, pearls/gemstones, chain and jump ring to attach multiple chains to the same ear wire. Am I correct?

For the tin-cups, you actually use headpins? So what happens to the end that's flat and supposed to hold the pearl - do you cut it off and then wire wrap it to form a loop to attach to the chain? Or do you use the looped ones - I think I saw some but didn't realize what they were for ...

Thanks in advance!

 

[Hanaleimom]

p

p

I cut off the flat end. There are some pins with the loop and I haven't used those. I am not sure if they sell wires by the yard or not. And if so, they might be in spool and I wonder how easy it is to roll them to straighten them.

As far as earrings, I use pearls only and just wrap them and keep the loops large enough to put through the hoops. If you look at my pictures, I use the ones with the interchangeable earrings. It has a curved end at the bottom. The opening to go through the ear has a thin side. There is no jump ring for my earrings, yet. I am afraid I don't know much about the option for non-pierced ears.

 

[Raisondetre]

Thanks for all that. Non-pierced isn't a problem. All you have to do is find the appropriate finding, the hoop is the same as for ear wires, which is why I used that interchangeably.

What kind of practice wire do you use? I've seen argentium silver wire locally but not sure I want to practice with that. Do the beading wires work? They might be a bit too soft to wrap though ...

Oh yes, and what sized chain? There are some 2.7mm gold filled ones. The rest are bigger but usually base metal or plated.

 

[Hanaleimom]

Raison

Raison

Hi Raison,
Maybe Pearl_dreams can chime in. She told me in her membership application thread to use beading wire? I can't remember exactly. I would search that post for you but I am on my way out the door soon.

During the hurricane in September, there were no stores open for me to purchase supplies. So I tore up all the twisties that are used to twist trash bags, and use the wires inside to "play" with some plastic beads that I have. My husband also gave me some thick copper wires and they were too hard to wrap.

 

[waimeamomi]

I use wire on my chain necklaces. You can order gold-fllled or silver, and I'm sure there is base metal, but I don't use that. I also order 14k and 10k for some projects, but you want to be sure with that. I like 26 or 24 gauge dead soft because it is easy to use. I use 22 gauge (I think) to create the ehancer/charm rings that I have been making. When I did my really long tin-cups, I did a loop through the chain and did not finish the actual wrapping until it was all together the way I wanted it. Does that make sense? I usually get the wire by the foot, or by the troy ounce depending on who I order it for (something else to Hui on?). You can get it on the spool, but I've never ordered that much. If you get a kink in it, (not often) you use a Sunshine cloth to straighten it. You have to remember that the wire gets harder the more you work it. Anyone else with advice? I don't use jump rings for earrings, I use wire, even with the chain. I also use wire to put clasps on chains. Here is the long tin cup chain (I need to reshoot that, the pearl colors are way better than those pics). I use beads to frame my pearls and to give it a more finished look.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Beading wire will not do for wrapping-- it is wire coated with clear nylon and is springy. It won't hold a shape.

For practice in wire wrapping you can use copper wire (often plated with silver tone or gold tone) which you can buy at a craft supplies store. It is very cheap and comes in different gauges. Aim for a smaller gauge-- 24 is good. To practice making hook clasps, get 18-20 gauge.

Re: Argentium wire, when we order it from Rio Grande, it comes very loosely wound in a wide diameter-- maybe 6" around-- so straightening is not an issue. But if you do need to straighten wire (or a bent head pin), pull it gently between the jaws of nylon head pliers. They won't scratch the wire, but doing this will work-harden the wire somewhat and make it less flexible, so don't overdo it.

 

[GemGeek]

Bravo Cathy and Sheryl! Those are beautiful necklaces.