Halloween Bat Project

HELLO!
HALLOW!
HALLOWEEN!
It's that black and orange time of year again! The shops are
filling with all the merchandise relevant to: witches, broomsticks,
black cats, spiders, pumpkins and fake blood and gore! And if
you've got kids, nieces and nephews or grandchildren, you just
can't escape it! But with a few wireworking tools and basic skills,
here's a project that can be adapted for a decoration (to be hung from
black thread) or, as a necklace on a cord or chain, so that you can make
your own piece of halloween merchandise in the form of a BAT!

There's nothing too scary about this tutorial!
I used 0.8mm black iron wire to create the frame.

1. To make a pendant, cut about 12" of wire
and starting at the centre of the length, create the
bat shape frame (as shown above).

2.  Secure one end around the other by wrapping (and
cut off any excess) and then, using your round nosed
pliers, create a link with the projecting wire at the base.

3. Working from a spool of 0.3mm black wire, cut off
about 2.5-3 metres of wire and scrunch it up in your
hands!

4. Stretch and flatten the scrunched wire out until it sits at the
centre of your bat frame. Cut an arm's length of 0.3mm wire and
use this to 'stitch' and sew the scrunched wire into the frame,
securing it to the sides.

5.  If you feel there are any gaps within the frame, just add more
wire as required. Once the frame is filled with the scribbled wire,
gently 'stroke' it on a steel block with the steel head of your Whammer
and this will flatten and compress it all together. Then place it over a
rounded object, such as a jar or bottle to dome it slightly.

Next ... you will need 2 x orange/red eye beads, a black bead
for the nose, a pendant drop bead to suspend from the tip of
the frame and a cord or chain to attach it to ...

6. Using a workable length of 0.3mm black wire, attach the
eye and nose beads by 'sewing' them into place within the
scrunched wire frame.

7. Now all that's left, is to connect the drop bead with a jump ring
from the end link of your frame, and attach the cord to each side
of the bat wings.

I'm sure most of you will already know how to create a fish hook
fastener and if not, there are many books and tutorials out there
packed with basic wirework techniques and guidance!

 Have fun making this Bat
called Nora! and I look forward
to seeing you on 10th October
at 3pm on:
CREATE and CRAFT TV
for a Xmas themed project
show!