Coiled Wire Caged Bead Bracelet
By: Sandy Huntress for AllFreeJewelryMaking
Coiled Wire Caged Bead Bracelet
Learn a new and interesting way to display your beads with this Coiled Wire Caged Bead Bracelet project. Wrapping beads with coiled wire gives them a whole new look and life! This method will add so much breadth and variety to your wirework designs. Follow this video jewelry making tutorial and learn how to make wire wrap jewelry and create a fabulous DIY bracelet in the process. The beautiful combination of bold beads and sleek wire is sure to make this DIY jewelry a favorite in your collection.
Project TypeMake a Project
Bead TypeMiscellaneous
Time to CompleteIn an evening
Bead Technique UsedChainmail/Wirework
Bead Project TypeBracelet
Materials:
- six 15 mm round beads
- 2 yards 20-gauge wire
- six eye pins in color to match wire
- chain nose pliers
- round nose pliers
- wire cutters
- ruler
- 1/8-inch mandrel
Instructions:
- Cut six 9-inch pieces of 20-gauge wire. Use round nose pliers to wrap each piece of wire into a spiral, stopping when 4.5 inches has been used. Make another spiral from the other end to the center, making sure spirals face in opposite directions; you will have an “S” shape. Repeat with all six pieces of wire.
- Fold these “S” shapes in half, meeting centers of the spirals. Use round nose pliers to pull out center of each spiral, creating a cage.
- Insert a bead into each cage. Thread an eye pin through the center of a spiral, though the bead, and out through the center of the other spiral. Make a loop with the remainder of the eye pin. Repeat for all six beads.
- Tightly wrap an 18-inch piece of 20-gauge wire around the 1/8-inch mandrel, leaving 1 inch unwrapped at one end. (This will be used to make the hook for the clasp.) Remove wraps from mandrel and cut into segments of three loops each. Leave two or three loops connected to 1-inch unwrapped piece. Flatten the two outer loops of each segment, creating a figure-eight connector.
- For bracelet clasp, flatten the one loop furthest from unwrapped segment. Use round nose pliers to make a small loop on unwrapped end. Use the widest part of round nose pliers to shape into a hook shape for bracelet clasp.
- Use figure eight links alternating with caged beads to complete your bracelet. Add the hook clasp to one end and a figure-eight link to the other. This will be the loop for your hook to go through.