How to Make Flower Wire Designs for Jewellery

How to Make Flower Wire Designs for Jewellery

The flower or clover technique is a useful basic jewellery
technique that can be applied to necklaces, earrings,
bracelets, and other accessories. You'll need a wire jig to
work on, and you'll be able to make a wide range of pieces
once you've mastered the technique. This article takes you
through the easy process of creating a flower or clover wire
design.

!! Steps !!

Place four pegs on the wire jig. Click to enlarge for
finer detail Take the end of the wire and create a semi-closed
loop, as pictured. Use the round nose pliers to bend the wire into
the semi-closed loop. This forms the first loop of the flower.

* Slip this loop over the first peg on the wire jig.

Wrap the tail of the wire around the peg to next to the first peg.
This creates the second loop of the flower.

Continue working the tail of the wire around the remaining two
pegs, creating a loop around each peg. The third and fourth loops
complete the flower design once done.

* Remove the flower from the wire jig. Trim off any excess wire. In
addition, adjust all of the loops formed on the jig with round
nose pliers to ensure that each loop is evenly shaped and entirely
closed. The design is now completed.

Strengthen the wire flower. Using jaw nose pliers, steel block the
flower with either a hammer or a "BeadSmith Whacker".

* A necklace made using the wire flower design, made with
gunmetal wire Make as many flowers as needed to create your
jewellery design. Approximately 12 to 15 flowers are needed to
make a necklace, less for a bracelet or anklet.

!! Tips !!

* Always straighten wire with jaw nose pliers or a cloth before
starting any wire project.

* When starting a project for the first time, practice with copper
wire; it is cheap, and therefore a money saver for your mistakes.
Once the technique has been perfected, move on to quality wire.

* Keep wire projects away from direct sunlight.

* All finished projects can be kept in sealed transparent bags; a
freezer or sandwich bag is fine.

* Don't spend money on jewelery boxes; instead, use empty biscuit or
chocolate tins or plastic containers.

* You can also round nose pliers if you don't have a jig but it will
take longer to make using this method.

!! Warnings !!

* Always wear safety eye glasses when working with wire. Tiny bits
of wire can go straight into the eye!

* Place the wire and pliers on the table when trimming wire, as this
will stop the wire from flying across the room.

!! Things You'll Need !!

* Wire jig

* Round nose pliers

* Jewellery cutter

* Steel block or BeadSmith Whacker

* Hammer

* Design ideas

!! Related WikiHows !!

* How to Create a Wire Art Necklace

* How to Make a Memory Wire Bracelet

* How to Make a Spiral Wire Bead Ring

* How to Make a Wrapped Wire Bracelet

* How to Make a Fish Hook Necklace

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