WIRED FOR LOVE!

At least we've moved out of January and there's the
promise of Spring ahead!

For all crafters and jewellery makers out there,
February is the month of 'hearts', seeing as Valentine's
Day is on the 14th. Create one to put on a card, key-ring
or handbag charm, or just make one for yourself to wear
as a pendant ... YOU, deserve it!

I have created such a variety of different heart
designs over the years and it's hard to come up with
something new (when it seems to have been done so
many times before!). So I set myself a challenge: create
a heart design without many beads and only using 0.8mm
wire. Something a little more freestyle, symbolizing the flow
of love ...

And from these first attempts, I simplified the design to this
tutorial: FLOWING LOVE heart pendant ...

1.  Cut approximately 6" of 2mm gauge aluminium red wire.
(*If you don't happen to have any thick gauge aluminium wire,
you can cut 2 or 3 x 6" lengths of 0.8mm).
Fold the wire in half and 'squish' the centre with your flat nosed pliers.

2. Pinch the wires together and spread the projecting ends in a
'V' shape on each side.

3. Using a pair of bail-making pliers (8mm mandrels) or a pen
or pencil, wrap each of the extending wires around to form the
'shoulders' of the heart frame.

4. Bring both ends together to form a point and wrap one wire around
the other to secure, leaving a small projecting tail.

5. Using your round nosed pliers, curl the projecting tail end into
a circular link at the very tip of the heart frame.

6. Cut around an arm's length of 0.8mm silver plated wire and
connect the centre of this length to the tip of your heart.

7. Keep the wire free-flowing, try not to kink it or pull it
too tight, just let it wrap around the heart frame in a very
loose and loopy way ...

8. Once you have worked on one side of the frame, repeat
on the opposite side until you meet somewhere at the top and
middle of the heart.

9. Any projecting wire at the centre can be spiralled and flattened
for extra decoration. The main thing is to let the wire do the
work!

And there you have it! Attach it to a cord, chain, ribbon, etc...

Each one that you create will be slightly different!  (*Option: if
you wish to make it more colourful and ornate, you can always attach
beads to the surface of the frame with 0.4mm wire.)

Above, is a key ring created using 2 x 0.8mm copper wires for the
frame with 0.8mm silver flowing around.

I DO HOPE THIS INSPIRES SOME INSPIRATION WITH
YOUR OWN WIRE ART!