Kylie Jones's Vibrant Wrapped Cotton Earrings , Contemporary Wire Jewelry. Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry. This fabulous 70's color combination gives a retro edge to these textile based beaded earrings.

Vibrant Wrapped Cotton Earrings

by Kylie Jones
  • Category: Contemporary
  • Technique(s): Wrapping
  • Skill Level: Beginner
This fabulous 70's color combination gives a retro edge to these textile based beaded earrings. With a wire wrapped core they can easily be threaded onto chain or cord.

Materials

26 Gauge Round Silver Plated Silver Copper Craft Wire - 45 ft
H17-I26-45FT
  • Lesson Quantity: 9.00 feet
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $6.00
  • Gold Club Price: $4.50
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20 Gauge Round Half Hard .925 Sterling Silver Wire
H8-20H
  • Lesson Quantity: 4.00 inches
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
  • Price: $3.20
  • Gold Club Price: $2.40
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Sterling Silver Chain Round Flat Cable 2.3mm - 10 Feet
C8-178U
  • Lesson Quantity: 6.50 inches
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $49.80
  • Gold Club Price: $37.35
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embroidery thread
  • Lesson Quantity: 3.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
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Tools

Round Nose Wire Pliers
G2-507
  • G2-507
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $32.95
  • Gold Club Price: $24.71
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C.H.P Milano Italian Flush Cutter, 5 1/2 Inches
PLR-487.00
  • PLR-487.00
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $16.97
  • Gold Club Price: $12.73
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5 Piece Steel Mandrel Set
G7-5
  • G7-5
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $12.95
  • Gold Club Price: $9.71
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Premium Jump Ring Mandrels - Set of 2
G7-50
  • G7-50
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $15.97
  • Gold Club Price: $11.98
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Steel and Wood Bench Block 3x3 Inch
G17-25
  • G17-25
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $14.97
  • Gold Club Price: $11.23
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4 1/4 Inch Bead Scissors - Pack of 1
G16-40
  • G16-40
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $3.57
  • Gold Club Price: $2.68
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6 1/2 Inch Solid Stainless Steel Ball Peen Hammer
G3-18
  • G3-18
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $5.97
  • Gold Club Price: $4.48
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Instructions
Step 1
The mandrel is used to give the inside of the beads a hollow core so the beads can move along the chain without damaging the inside cottons. I work directly from the coil of wire, this saves wasting wire when you're not sure how much you will use. Wrap the wire around the mandrel to form a messy coil about 0.4" (1cm) long or about the length you want the bead to be. Wrap over the tail of the wire as you go. The wire should move up and down the mandrel freely but not be loose. Come back coiling another row over the first.
Kylie Jones's Vibrant Wrapped Cotton Earrings  - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, wrap the wire around the mandrel
Kylie Jones's Vibrant Wrapped Cotton Earrings  - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, wrap the wire around the mandrel
Kylie Jones's Vibrant Wrapped Cotton Earrings  - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, wrap the wire around the mandrel
Step 2
Put the ends of the 3 cottons together and lay the cottons along the coil with the tails extending about 1cm past the wire end. Wrap the wire once around the cottons to hold them in place. Turn the 1cm tail back onto the coil and start to wrap with the long ends over the tail. Trim any stray bits from the tail and continue to wrap one way then the other till you have a bead shape you are happy with.
Kylie Jones's Vibrant Wrapped Cotton Earrings  - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, wrap the wire around the ends of the yarn
Kylie Jones's Vibrant Wrapped Cotton Earrings  - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, wrap the yarn and wire
Kylie Jones's Vibrant Wrapped Cotton Earrings  - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, wrap the yarn into a bead
Step 3
Holding the end of the cotton tight, start to wrap the wire one way then the other around the bead shape. This wrapping is both functional, to enclose and protect the cotton, and decorative so try and cross the wires to give an interesting pattern.
Kylie Jones's Vibrant Wrapped Cotton Earrings  - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, wrap the wire around the yarn
Step 4
Pull the wire tight so it doesn't unwind. Trim the wire and cotton ends to about 2" (5cm). Thread one of the cotton ends into the darning needle and push the needle through a small part of the bead making sure to go under not just the wire but also some of the wound threads. Do this twice for each cotton end and then also with the wire. Leave the bead on the mandrel for this step so you don't take the threads or wire through the empty core. Trim the ends only after all of them, including the wire, have been woven into the bead twice. To trim the ends pull them fairly tight then cut, make sure the end disappears back into the bead.
Kylie Jones's Vibrant Wrapped Cotton Earrings  - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, tuck in the yarn ends
Kylie Jones's Vibrant Wrapped Cotton Earrings  - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, remove the bead
Step 5
Attach a piece of scrap wire to the end of one piece of chain securing it with a couple of twists. Use the doubled over round end of the wire to thread the chain through the beads, 3 per earring.
Kylie Jones's Vibrant Wrapped Cotton Earrings  - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, thread scrap wire through the chain
Kylie Jones's Vibrant Wrapped Cotton Earrings  - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, pull the chain through the bead
Step 6
To make the ear wire using a 5cm piece of 20g wire and round nose pliers make a small loop in one end of the wire, keep going with this loop till it is about 1 and ΒΌ rotations. Use your larger mandrel to make the ear wire curve and then shape the tail how you like.
Gently hammer the curve of each ear wire on a bench block to work harden.
Kylie Jones's Vibrant Wrapped Cotton Earrings  - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, make a loop
Kylie Jones's Vibrant Wrapped Cotton Earrings  - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, bend the wire over a mandrel
Kylie Jones's Vibrant Wrapped Cotton Earrings  - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, bend up the end
Step 7
Attach both ends of the chain to the ear wire, the small ear wire ring is easily opened with a fingernail and gently closed.
Kylie Jones's Vibrant Wrapped Cotton Earrings  - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, attach ear wires