The WireHeart Guild

I did promise you more HEART designs
this month. Hopefully, this should
top you up with inspiration to enable you
to create something traditionally heart shaped
and uniquely special in time for
St.Valentine's next month ...
























This style of design is a great way of using up
left-over beads. You can create a frame in any
size you wish, depending on how much wire
you use and load it with colourful beads (just
like colouring in!!).










0.8mm
(20-gauge)
or
1 mm
(14-gauge)
wire is
just right
for the
frame.





1. Cut the length desired and fold in half,
ensuring the projecting wires are running
straight and parallel.
























2. Use a cylindrical mandrel (such as a pen, if it's
a small frame) and bend the projecting wires around
to create the 'shoulders' of the heart. Straighten
the projecting wires down the centre of the frame.
























3. Create a small coil (that is wide enough to thread
through both wires - just like a jump ring coil) and
thread this onto the end of the projecting wires.
Using your round nosed pliers, create links with the
cut ends. Alternatively, you could thread the wires
through large hole bead instead of a wire coil.
























4. Hold each of the circular links in your flat nosed
pliers and create spirals, curling the wires up (in
opposite directions) towards the top of the heart.
























This is not mandatory! But if you're a hammer-
head like me, hammer the top 'shoulders' of the
frame to work harden it - but avoid touching
the central coil! Now you're ready to start
beading! Using 0.4mm wire you can wire a
selection of beads into the frame, filling it up
with colour and texture! Have fun trying!!
























Here's a brooch a created in a similar way (although
without the central coil).






There's no end
to variations
and styles!






































You can also bind on shapes within the frame
and add a spot of colour through the addition
of a bead.











Just play
around
with the
wire and
you'll probably
come up with
something
unique and
interesting!









Small heart motifs look great
on handbag charms - here's
something I designed for
my latest WEDDING book.

Did you know that Rose
Quartz was the stone
of LURVE!














You might have
seen this tutorial
already - as it was
a Christmas project,
although, it could
be suitable for a
wedding theme too.

However, why not
have a go at binding
the frame with
colourful beads to
see how different
it can look!





























You could always get your JIG out and have a go
at making a shape to wire within a heart frame.










You might
also have seen
this design before
in Make Jewellery
magazine ...
I created 2 versions
with red and pink
beads using black
iron wire on a 'Vintage'
Valentine theme. I
even made a heart
shaped ring to match!














Here's
my PUFF
HEART!
Any coloured
wire can be
used and
beads can
also be
woven in
if desired.





THAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH INSPIRATION FOR ONE
BLOGGING!

PLEASE DO POST YOUR HEART DESIGNS ON MY
FACEBOOK PAGE TO SHARE!

The WireHeart Guild

If you create and design jewellery to sell,
I bet you are currently all consumed with
Valentine themes for next month. Also,
if your hobby and creative escape involves
jewellery making ...
I've put together all my HEART shaped
projects spanning several book projects to
help ignite inspiration.
























HEART motifs are so popular and such recognisable
symbols, epitomising: love, fondness, desire,
attachment, affection, passion ... need I go on?

So, for the love of wire, why don't you create your
own Heart designs and share them on my Facebook
page.
























The first ever heart design I created, is this chain bracelet.
You'll find all the instructions in 'Creating Wire & Beaded
Jewelry' page 76.






Here's a
beaded
variation
key-ring.





































There's no end to variations!!







This heart
shaped
pendant
was designed
for my Special
Occasions Book.











The design was called 'Love Eternal' and
you'll find it on page 45.
























Still in the same 'Special Occasions' book
(on page 35) in the Valentine's chapter,
I designed this 'Lover's Knot' bracelet chain,
using some gorgeous multi-coloured
Swarovski crystal heart beads.
























Then, on page 30, you'll find this Sweetheart Necklace
project with matching earrings.


















I also want to show you my 'Cupid's' Chain. This works well
made in the pinky tones of copper wire.











These earrings
were made to
match.










You'll find full instructions to make these on
at Bead TV.





















In my Celtic themed project book, I created these Shamrock
style hairgrips, which can be made beaded, or with coloured
wires.


















Great for Bridal Hair Combs too!
























Here's another project from the Celtic book, a simple
cord style bracelet.
























This was a Jig project called 'Chain Reaction' which can
be found in 'Making Beautiful Bead & Wire Jewellery'.
























And ... from my new Wedding project book, which
is just out! Here's is a bridal necklace design!

I CAN HEAR A YAWN CHORUS NOW ...
THAT'S PROBABLY ENOUGH HEARTS
TO VISUALLY DIGEST IN ONE SITTING!

HOWEVER, I WILL POST SOME MORE
UP SOON TO KEEP YOUR LEVEL OF
INSPIRATION ON A HIGH WIRE!!
























OUT NOW!!
Ready to purchase.

VINTAGE VALENTINE

A HEARTY 'HELLO' to anyone
who wants some inspiration for
a Valentine project for next month ...
on February 14th!

I notice that all the beading magazines
are focusing on heart-shaped designs -
as is traditional of course! And with
the current trend of 'vintage' (nostalgia)
and 'steampunk' styles, I've designed
a VINTAGE VALENTINENecklace as my next tutorial.

So, if you're sitting comfortably... ? here's
how it goes:
























1. Cut approximately 7" (17.5cm) of 0.8mm (20-gauge)
black wire ... although, if you want it larger cut more
and thicker or of a different colour, use a different gauge and
type of wire ... (simples!)

Place your round nosed pliers at the centre of the length
and cross the wires around the shaft to create a central
loop, straightening out the wires into a 'V' shape on either side.
























2. Find a cylindrical mandrel of about 1/2" (1.5cm) diameter
and use this to curl the projecting ends of wire around, towards
each other, forming the top of the heart shape.
(*Optional: you can hammer the outer frame on steel bench
block to work harden.)






















3. Now cut another length of wire - approximately 5"
(12.5cm) and placing the tips of your round nosed pliers
at the centre of this length, bend it in half, straightening
out the projecting ends.



















4. Use your round nosed pliers to create circular loops
curling in towards each other on either side.






















5. Hold the circular loops firmly in your flat nosed pliers and
continue curling the wire around to form a small heart shaped
frame (as shown above). *Optional: you can hammer the
wire frame on steel bench block to work harden.
























6. Using the tips of your round nosed pliers, curl the ends
of the larger heart frame into small links and connect the
top part of the small heart into these, suspending it within
the frame.
























7. Cut a long length, say 10"-12" (25.5c-31cm) of 28-gauge
(0.4mm) black wire and use it to bind the two frames
together, threading it with small red seed beads as you go ...
























8. It is completely up to you how many beads you wish
to attach, or how much binding you want to do and if
you run out of wire, just secure the end to the frame
(cutting off any excess and neaten the end) and attach
another length, continuing the binding and beading
exactly where you left off.























9. Once you've finished weaving beads to the interior frame,
you can use the tip of your chain nosed pliers to tweak and
neaten all the wires so that you're satisfied with the overall
look.
























10. All that's left for you to do now, is to suspend it
from some 'gunmetal' coloured chain and if desired,
attach a bead from the tip of the heart.





















You could also suspend a bead from the centre of
the frame? The variations are endless! Just have a play!
























Here's ("one I made earlier"!) a classic version in black. Which
incidentally, looks great against a red top!

********************************************************

I'LL KEEP YOU POSTED ON MORE 'HEART'
THEMED DESIGNS SOON ...

H A P P Y W I R E W O R K I N G

... keep the passion of wire-art burning!