Wednesday 25 January 2012

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!

5 comments:

  1. What a fabulous selection of projects and heartfelt thanks for those Linda! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Sal! I'm grateful for the feedback ... and also looking forward to the next stunning Sky Pixie creation! :o)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I just read a great book called "Kaleidoscope Hearts" and this heart remind me of that wonderful story. Beautiful work!!

    ReplyDelete