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Crystal Comet Earrings
Project E626
Designer: Julie Bean
Looking like shooting stars across the heavens, these earrings combine bright silver plated layered circles
and sparkling Swarovski crystals. Precision wire wrapping adds to the drama of this vibrant accessory.
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What You'll Need
Purchase All Supplies
Specialized Tools
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Instructions:
- Remember to double all these instructions to make your matched set of earrings.
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The technique we will be primarily using to make these dramatic earrings is that of wire wrapping beads around a form. You can view an easy-to-follow video tutorial on this technique .
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Cut 2' of 26 gauge German silver plated craft wire. Following the technique you learned in the video, take one 25mm Beadalon Quick Links round and make 5 tight wraps (without beads) around one side to secure your wire firmly to the form. Now add 1 Swarovski 4mm round bead in crystal comet argent light, make 2 tight wraps of wire without a bead, then add another Swarovski crystal comet bead, another 2 wraps, etc. Follow this pattern until you have 7 beads wire wrapped around the form and then end with 5 tight wraps. Snip off excess wire with flush cutters and use your flat nose pliers to press the rough wire edge into your wrapping.
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Repeat the above step with a 20mm Quick Link round but this time only wrap 5 beads instead of 7 onto the form. Make 2 of these 20mm Quick Link rounds wrapped with beads.
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Take your wire wrapped 25mm form and and then place inside of it the 20mm wire wrapped form. You want to position it so the beaded edge of the 20mm form is just slightly overlapping the beaded edge of the 25mm form (center the beads so that the 5 beads are evenly spaced between the 7). Then on the opposite edge, you want the rim of the 20mm form to be fit snug up against the 25mm form rim (not on top of but just inside the curve).
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Cut 12" of 26 gauge German silver plated craft wire. At the point where the above forms meet up top, in the very center, tightly wire wrap the forms together. I recommend finding the middle of your cut piece of craft wire (so at the 6 inch point) and then press that against the forms and start wrapping in one direction starting from the middle. Once you have completed 7 or 8 tight close wraps, go back to the point where you started and using that other 6 inch tail, wrap in the other direction 7 or 8 tight close wraps. Stop wrapping and take a good look at your piece. Does it look like the wrapping is off center at all? If so, wrap another couple times around the form in the direction which looks off balance. When you feel everything looks even, cut off any excess wire with your flush cutter and use your flat nose pliers to press the rough edges into the wrapping.
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Next, take your other wire wrapped beaded 20mm Quick Link and lay it over the two forms you have secured together in the previous step. See the photo. You want to position this one so that its beaded edge is just slightly overlapping the beaded edge of the other already secured 20mm Quick Link. This will mean that there is a gap up top where the other edge of this new 20mm form overlap the other two forms. This is perfect. You will need this gap to secure your ear hook to in a later step.
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Cut 2 lengths of 26 gauge wire, 6 inches long each. Holding your overlapping forms securely in place with your fingers, carefully wire wrap one edge - see the photo - you want to wrap around all three forms to secure them together. The place you wrap should be positioned evenly between the edge of the wire wrapping up top and the start of the wire wrapping of the beads. You just want everything to look nice and evenly spaced. Make 7 or 8 tight wraps. Cut off excess wire with flush cutters and then use your flat nose pliers to press the rough edge into your wrappings. Repeat this step with your other cut piece of wire on the opposite side.
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Take your ear hook and open the hoop at the bottom the same way you would . Link this to that top gap between your Quick Links opposite the beaded edges. Close the loop back up.
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Enjoy your new earrings!
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Tip: There are lots of gorgeous Swarovski 4mm round beads if you want a different color then silver. A couple that would look great with this design instead of the crystal comet argent are: Aquamarine AB (SWC-0436), Chrysolite Opal AB (SWC-04307), Provence Lavender (SWC-04151), and Air Blue Opal (SWC-04094). There are a lot more colors as well, choose your favorite!
Tip: Check package quantities for each component. You may have extra material to make more than one finished project, or will have leftovers for other projects. In some cases, adding on just one more package of a component may be all you need to make multiple pieces.
All designs © Beadaholique Inc.
You may use our designs to make items for personal use or gifts.
Sale of our designs, whether in written form or assembled, is prohibited.
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