Hammered Chaos Earrings
by Karen Meador, Ph.D.

I enjoyed making the Hammered Chaos Necklace and decided to see how I might minimize the piece to make earrings. These turned out to be quite a quick and easy way to create a new earring style.

Instructions
I followed most of the steps for the above-mentioned necklace using 16g round wire for the main piece and 18g round wire for the chaos. I learned that for earrings, it's best to cut the chaos wire 3 ½ times longer than the heavier wire. For example, if I cut 3 inches of 16g wire for each earring, I then cut 10 ½ inches of chaos wire for each.

I kept the wire straight and then fashioned the loop ends of each piece of 16g wire to face opposite directions before hammering.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Hammered Chaos Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Coiling, Coiling Wire, Wire Coiling, hammered chaos earrings
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Hammered Chaos Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Coiling, Coiling Wire, Wire Coiling, hammered chaos earrings
After making the chaos coils, threading them on and hammering, I did not need to wire the chaos coils to the end of the heavier wire as I did on the necklace. This works as long as the bottom chaos wire loop isn't large enough to slip off the 16g wire when finished.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Hammered Chaos Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Coiling, Coiling Wire, Wire Coiling, hammered chaos earrings
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Hammered Chaos Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Coiling, Coiling Wire, Wire Coiling, hammered chaos earrings
I chose not to add any dangles to the chaos wire, but realized I could put one at the bottom of the 16g wire later if I wanted.
I did patina the copper earrings and put them in the tumbler for a couple of hours after which I added the ear wires.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Hammered Chaos Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Coiling, Coiling Wire, Wire Coiling, hammered chaos earrings

Materials

16 Gauge Round Dead Soft Copper Wire
H11-16D
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
  • Price: $1.13
  • Gold Club Price: $0.84
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Tools

4oz Ball Peen Hammer with Wooden Handle
G3-36
  • G3-36
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $5.25
  • Gold Club Price: $3.94
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Wubbers Large Bail Making Pliers
G2-1303
  • G2-1303
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $27.97
  • Gold Club Price: $20.98
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Steel and Rubber Bench Block 4x4 Inches
G17-44
  • G17-44
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $29.95
  • Gold Club Price: $22.46
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  • Category: Contemporary
  • Technique(s): Coiling