LEAF TUTORIAL

It's that time of year again ...  and leaves are dropping all
over the place!  Over the years I have designed numerous
'Leaf' and 'Autumn' themed pendants and earrings and I
never get tired of the shapes and colours that nature provides
as a design reference...
So with this in mind, I want to share a LEAF tutorial
with you, it's one that I hope you can adapt and make your
own. My first attempt at this style looked rather more like
a FEATHER, so with that in mind, I am going to combine
the two words together and call this tutorial:
FLEAF DESIGN

So gather together, your usual wireworking tools:
Round and Chain nosed pliers, Cutters, 0.8mm and
0.4mm copper, silver or gold plated wire (whatever
you have to hand will do!). Whammer hammer
with block is optional ... but, it does help
toughen the outer frame.

1) Cut approx. 6" (15cm)
of 0.8mm wire for your
outer frame and bend in
half.  Use your fingers
to shape the curved sides
of the leaf.

Cut a second length of
0.8mm wire which is
approx 1.5"(4cm) longer
that your leaf length.

Straighten this length.

OPTIONAL
2) Place the
leaf frame
on a steel
block and
hammer
the outer edge
to flatten and
toughen.

Make sure
you don't
hammer the
crossed over
wires or you
will weaken them.

3) Using the
tips of your
round nosed pliers,
curl a tiny hook
at one end of the
straight cut
length and attach
this to the
base of the
leaf frame.

4.  Using the tips of your round nosed pliers, curl
small even coils (like you make jump rings) with
any wire you have to hand ... I used 0.8mm gold-
plated, but anything will do!

5.  Cut short lengths of 0.4mm wire (about an 1"
(2.5cm) wider than your frame) and create tiny
loops at the centre of each length, by crossing the wire
over at the centre, around the very tips of your round
nosed pliers.

6.  Begin by threading the central straight wire
with a coil, followed by the looped length of
0.4mm wire.

7.  Push the coil and fine wire to the
base of your frame and connect the
projecting ends around the sides of
the frame. Wrapping the ends a couple
of times around - cutting off any
excess and squeezing or flattening
any protrusions of wire.

8.  Repeat step 7, adding a second coil
followed by the fine wire and continue
attaching to the sides of the frame ...

9. Work all your way up the centre of
the frame and then secure the top, by
wrapping one of the projecting wires of
the frame in one direction around the
straight stem, the other in the opposite
direction.

10.  You can either cut off the excess
projecting wires on each side, or (as
above) curl decorative spirals using
your round and flat or chain nosed pliers.

11.  You could make another coil to thread
onto the projecting wire above the spirals
and then create a double top loop ...

... and
here it
is ...
ready to
wear!

You could also make a few more and
attach together to make a fuller 3-leaf
pendant!

Try adding beads or feathers ...
coloured wires ... thicker gauges!
Just play around with whatever you
have in your stash!

 

         

You could also add beads onto the side wires

to add more colour! Obviously, you would

have to do this from Step 6 ...

... and if you wish (for a fish) you can also adapt it 

to become a FLISH design!!

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

As always, use the tutorial as a base guide to fuel your

inner creativity! And please don't be shy in sharing your

experiments, trials and wirey attempts on my Facebook

page!