Mother-of-Pearl Disc-Link Bracelet

Skill Level: Beginner/All

Technique: Round Wire Disc Bead Links

When the new order of large-holed, freshwater pearls arrived at the wirejewelry warehouse, we couldn't wait to make some new designs with them. The 14x5mm MOP disc beads are a pretty mix of soft peach and rose tones that look great in gold, and the 5mm round white pearls look nice in silver, so our bracelet was made in a gold/silver combination. Individual links can also be made into earrings, and a longer length of combined links would make a lovely necklace.

Materials

• For each disc link 4" lengths of 20 Gauge Round Half-Hard Gold-Filled Wire
• For each pearl link 2 ½" lengths of 21 Gauge Round Half-Hard Sterling Silver Wire
• 1 10mm Trigger Clasp with Attached Jump Ring
• 1 10x15mm Oval Pink Shell Beads
• 1 5mm White Fresh Water Pearls

Tools

• Chain nose pliers
• Flat nose pliers
• Needle nose pliers
• Wire cutters
• Ruler
• Fine point marker

Formula: measure the distance around the wrist and add ½", then plan your bracelet according to the following link lengths: each MOP disc link = 1" long and each pearl link = ⅝" long. For example, a 7" wrist will use 5 disc links and 5 pearl links with a 10mm trigger clasp.

Planning Suggestion: Try to plan your bracelet so a pearl-link is the last to add and the last loop made becomes the 'eye'. To do so, you may wish to use simple jump rings to attach 3 disc-links together in the center of the bracelet, or vary the pattern so there are 2 pearl links together or two disc-links together. Experiment and have fun with it!

Instructions

1. For each disc-link, straighten, measure, and cut one 4" piece of 20g wire; and for each pearl link, prepare one 2-½" 21g wire.
   

2. Beginning with a disc link, place flat-nose pliers on a 4" wire at a 1⅝" measurement and make a 90° angle.
   
   
   

3. Place round-nose pliers on the shorter wire of the angle just made and form a wrapped loop, using the shorter wire to do so, wrapping it down two times and stop, do not cut this wire. Add one 14x10mm disc bead.
   
   
   
   

4. Place chain-nose pliers on the wire immediately after the disc bead and hold it while using fingers to bend the wire over the pliers' jaw at a 90° angle, to the opposite side of the first.
   
   

5. Use round nose pliers on the shorter end of the angle just made to form another wrapped loop, wrapping down twice and ending on the opposite side from the first end. Do not cut this wire.
   
   
   

6. Use needle-nose, chain-nose pliers to begin a tiny, tight spiral at the end of one of the wrap wires, and flat-nose pliers to roll the spiral diagonally up and across the disc, ending just under the wrapped loop. Repeat on the other side.
   
   
   

7. View the newly wrapped disc bead from the side and use flat-nose pliers to align both loops, finishing the disc-link.
   
   

8. On a 2-½" piece of 21g wire, use flat-nose pliers at a 1" measurement to make a 90° angle.
   
   

9. Use round-nose pliers on the short wire of the angle just made and form a loop. Insert this loop into one looped end of the disc-link and use needle-nose, chain-nose pliers to hold the loop while wrapping it in, 3 times to show and trim, attaching it to the disc-link.
   
   

10. Thread a 5mm pearl onto this wire. Use chain-nose pliers to hold a space on the wire immediately after the pearl, while using fingers to bend the wire over the pliers' jaw at a 90° angle.
    
    

11. Use round-nose pliers to make a loop and before wrapping it in, insert the loop through another disc-link. (Remember to place the same-spiraled end of this disc-link as the first one.) Wrap the loop in 3 times to show and trim. Now there are 3 links running together, a disc, a pearl and another disc. Continue making and linking until the bracelet is 1" shy of the desired finished length. To finish the bracelet, while making the last pearl link use a large section of round-nose pliers to make the very last loop, which becomes the eye. Attach a 10mm trigger clasp onto a disc-link on the opposite end.
    
    

---

 Free Wire Jewelry Patterns

Did you find this pattern through a link from a friend? This Free Wire Jewelry Pattern is just one of dozens of free wire jewelry patterns we send via email. Get patterns like this one straight to your inbox - click here!