NAUTILUS SHELL TUTORIAL

As all you
crafters
and makers,
groovers
and shakers
out there
will know,
there are
always a
few special
designs
that you
come back
to again ...
and again ...


My
NAUTILUS
SHELL BROOCH
is no exception
and as I have had so
many recent requests
for the pattern,
here is a tutorial to
show you how it's made.


TO GET STARTED ...




All you need are
wire cutters,
round, flat and chain
nosed pliers,
1mm silver plated wire,
2 or 3 choice
coloured wires in
0.4 or 0.5mm gauge,
a focal bead, and a
ready made
brooch finding.











1. Working from the end of your
1mm spool of silver plated wire,
use your round nosed pliers,
to create a circular link.


















2. Hold the link firmly in
your flat nosed pliers and
continue curling the wire
around to form a open spiral.















3. Once you've created the
open spiral, bend the wire
back towards the base of the
spiral and using your wire
cutters, snip it off the spool,
leaving just enough
projecting wire to create
a small link.


















4. To complete
the outline frame:
use the tips of your
round nosed pliers
to create a small link
at the end of the wire
and connect this
to the base of the
spiral frame.














5. Cut a workable length of
your chosen coloured wire
(say approx. 10"-25.5cms)
and secure it to the centre
of your spiral frame.
Begin weaving this in and
out of the framework
securing it to the top and
base frame wires as you
go ...









6. ... Keep weaving
the wire around the
framework ... and if
you run out of wire,
just cut another length
and continue where
you left off ...










7. Once you've
wrapped the spiral
frame in one colour
wire, you can use a
second or third
contrasting
coloured wire to
wrap as an overlay.

You don't have to double-
bind this to the top and base
of the frame as before,
just wrap it around more freely,
and sparsely over the top of
the first wire.










8. Now for your centre
feature bead! Cut a length
of coloured or 0.4mm/0.5mm
silver plated wire and thread
this through the middle of
your spiral.
















9. Pull the wire through
and around to secure it
into place (rather like
sewing!) and if you're
left with extra, just
add this to the
surface wrapping.
















10. Once the bead is
secured, use your flat
nosed pliers to twist and
'tweak' the coloured wires
around the framework,
creating kinks on the wire.



















11. Attach your brooch
finding with wire (either
the fine coloured wires or
0.4mm silver plated)
and then wire it onto
the back of your brooch
frame, securing it firmly
in place.















*OPTIONAL*
12. If you wish you,
you could wire some
small seed beads
around your focal
bead ...






Try experimenting with different colour schemes and vary the sizes!

OR ... use beads instead of coloured wires to create
visually colourful creations ...

How about an Earrings and Necklace set ...


The combinations are ENDLESS and will keep you
busy for hours!!
(This is when the housework will get left,
the washing load will double,
the ironing pile will become a 'mountain',
the kids will be allowed to watch more
videos than they should ...
and supper will have to be something
very speedy and quick to make:
like omelette, baked beans and salad!).

However, you'll have some lovely brooches to show for it!