WireWorkers Guild: PEARLY HEART DECORATION

It's coming up to that time of year again ...
I've been madly busy taking and doing
C H R I S T M A S
commissions ... and filming jewellery and
accessory projects for BEAD TV
... but ... I haven't forgotten you! and just
when I was trying to think of a new Xmas tutorial,
a good friend turned up to my studio with
something she had made that had been inspired
from a Xmas decoration in her local shop ... and
then I was inspired too! So, I'm hoping (in big hopes)
that the cycle of inspiration continues and that you
all become inspired to create your own unique
Christmas decorations. So, without further ado:

here's my PEARLY HEART decoration that could be
created to suspend from the tree, or from anything
you so wish! (Answers on a postcard please!
... No! Only joking!!)

Gather together some: 1mm & 0.4mm silver plated wire.
Assorted pearl and crystal beads and a piece of ribbon.

1. Depending on the size of the heart frame you wish to create ...
cut a length of 1mm wire (I used about 10") and place your
round nosed pliers at the centre. Bring the wire around your
pliers, so that the wires cross over on either side.

2. Place a circular
mandrel (such as
a fat pen, etc...) on
each side of the
central loop and
curl the wire around
to form the 'shoulders'
of the heart frame.

Bring the wires together to form the end point of the
heart.

3. Where the wires cross over, wrap one wire
around the other to secure.

4. Place the heart frame on a steel block and hammer
the outer edge to toughen and work harden it. (Avoid
hammering any areas where the wires cross over as
this will only weaken the frame!)

5. Spiral the end of the projecting wire up to the tip
of the heart and flatten it over the wrapped wires to
conceal them underneath.

6. Cut a long length of 0.4mm wire and secure the
centre around the top of the central loop of the heart
frame. Begin threading one side with beads (crystals
and pearls of assorted sizes ... although, any colour
will do!!). Bind them to the framework as you go.

7. Keep binding and threading assorted sized beads
as you go, working from one side and then the other ...
Cut off any excess wire and neaten the ends.

8. Create some jump rings (or use ready made!) and
find a space to link into the central loop from the back
of the heart frame. You will need 3 or 4 to create a
suspension chain.

9. Thread your
last chain link
with some ribbon
of your choice
so that it can be
suspended from
the branch of your
Christmas tree!

... and if you wish to vary the style - you can create a
more decorative version by attaching more crystal
beads from the centre and base.

Scale it up or down and use this as INSPIRATION for
a card decoration, window ornament, necklace pendant,
handbag charm, not to mention Wedding embellishment,
etcetera, etceterara ...

FOR MORE XMAS PROJECT IDEAS you will find
tutorials on Bead TV for: