Kristal Wick's Dale Chihuly Color Inspiration Earrings, Contemporary Wire Jewelry. Spirals, Wire Spiral, Spiral Wire Wrap. These earrings were inspired by Dale Chihuly's beautiful gilded frost and obsidian chandelier and I loved the color pallet.

Dale Chihuly Color Inspiration Earrings

by Kristal Wick
  • Category: Contemporary
  • Technique(s): Making Spirals
  • Skill Level: Beginner
These earrings were inspired by Dale Chihuly's beautiful gilded frost and obsidian chandelier and I loved the color pallet. They are a fun project to make up in a variety of colored wire. Create a matching necklace using a length of the beaded chain. When you first start out, it may take a few practice runs to get 2 earrings to match. No worries, you'll be whipping them out in no time!

Materials

Sterling Silver Chain w/ Pearls 3-4mm - 5 Feet
C8-193U
  • Lesson Quantity: 6.00 inches
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $90.10
  • Gold Club Price: $67.58
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Sterling Silver Oxidized Chain w/ Pearls 3-4mm - 5 Feet
C8-331U
  • Lesson Quantity: 6.00 inches
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $82.60
  • Gold Club Price: $61.95
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Sterling Silver Chain with Pearls 1.5-2mm - 5 Feet
C8-213U
  • Lesson Quantity: 6.00 inches
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $52.50
  • Gold Club Price: $39.38
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20 Gauge Round Antique Copper Enameled Craft Wire - 30 ft
H5-Q20-30FT
  • Lesson Quantity: 16.00 inches
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $6.80
  • Gold Club Price: $5.10
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Gold Filled Head Pin (016) 26GA 1.5 inch - Pack of 10
J8-27
  • Lesson Quantity: 2.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $4.16
  • Gold Club Price: $3.12
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4mm Light Topaz 5328 Bi-Cone Swarovski Crystal Beads - Pack of 10
A13-21A
  • Lesson Quantity: 2.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $1.57
  • Gold Club Price: $1.18
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Gold Filled Cable Chain 1.0mm - 10 Feet
C4-119U
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $54.00
  • Gold Club Price: $40.50
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Tools

WireJewelry - Ultimate Wire-Pliers Jewelry Pliers with Case, Set of 5
G15-20
  • G15-20
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $170.72
  • Gold Club Price: $128.04
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Steel Bench Block 4x4 Inch - Pack of 1
G17-10
  • G17-10
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $21.95
  • Gold Club Price: $16.46
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Chasing Hammer with Wooden Handle, 1 1/8 Inch Face
G3-27
  • G3-27
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $13.95
  • Gold Club Price: $10.46
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Wubbers Small Bail Making Pliers
G2-1301
  • G2-1301
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $24.95
  • Gold Club Price: $18.71
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Classic Wubbers Medium Flat Nose Pliers
G2-1237
  • G2-1237
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $27.97
  • Gold Club Price: $20.98
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20 X 15 Inch Padded Work Mat
MAT-620.00
  • MAT-620.00
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $14.95
  • Gold Club Price: $11.21
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Instructions
Step 1
Be sure to lay out your mat when cutting wire so you don't scratch up your work surface. Cut an 8" piece of wire and make a tiny loop at one end.
Kristal Wick's Dale Chihuly Color Inspiration Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Spirals, Wire Spiral, Spiral Wire Wrap, chihuly earrings
Step 2
Make 3 tightly wound rotations around the loop creating a tight spiral.
Kristal Wick's Dale Chihuly Color Inspiration Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Spirals, Wire Spiral, Spiral Wire Wrap, chihuly earrings
Step 3
Grip the wire with the flat nose pliers touching the edge of the spiral. Push the wire up against the pliers.
Kristal Wick's Dale Chihuly Color Inspiration Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Spirals, Wire Spiral, Spiral Wire Wrap, chihuly earrings
Step 4
Grip the spiral using your chain nose pliers and wrap the wire around the top of the spiral and down the side butting up against the wire.
Kristal Wick's Dale Chihuly Color Inspiration Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Spirals, Wire Spiral, Spiral Wire Wrap, chihuly earrings
Step 5
Grip the wire with the flat nose pliers touching the edge of the spiral. Push the wire up against the pliers.
Kristal Wick's Dale Chihuly Color Inspiration Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Spirals, Wire Spiral, Spiral Wire Wrap, chihuly earrings
Step 6
Push the wire up against the pliers.
Kristal Wick's Dale Chihuly Color Inspiration Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Spirals, Wire Spiral, Spiral Wire Wrap, chihuly earrings
Step 7
Push the wire around the top of the spiral wrap around the Wubbers pliers making a loop.
Kristal Wick's Dale Chihuly Color Inspiration Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Spirals, Wire Spiral, Spiral Wire Wrap, chihuly earrings
Step 8
Cut the wire where the loop end meets the wire and flatten using the flat nose pliers.
Kristal Wick's Dale Chihuly Color Inspiration Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Spirals, Wire Spiral, Spiral Wire Wrap, chihuly earrings
Step 9
Work harden and texture the earring form by hammering it on a bench block.
Kristal Wick's Dale Chihuly Color Inspiration Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Spirals, Wire Spiral, Spiral Wire Wrap, chihuly earrings
Step 10
Create crystal bead dangles by sliding a seed bead, crystal and seed bead onto a head pin and make a small loop at the top.
Kristal Wick's Dale Chihuly Color Inspiration Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Spirals, Wire Spiral, Spiral Wire Wrap, chihuly earrings
Step 11
Cut a 1" piece of chain and attach it to the crystal dangle.
Kristal Wick's Dale Chihuly Color Inspiration Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Spirals, Wire Spiral, Spiral Wire Wrap, chihuly earrings
Step 12
Detach 2 links (or as many as you wish) from the beaded chain and slip the chain dangle and earring base into the beaded chain open loop. Close the loop.
Kristal Wick's Dale Chihuly Color Inspiration Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Spirals, Wire Spiral, Spiral Wire Wrap, chihuly earrings
Step 13
Attach the top loop to an ear wire and repeat for the other earring.
Kristal Wick's Dale Chihuly Color Inspiration Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Spirals, Wire Spiral, Spiral Wire Wrap, chihuly earrings