Spiral Ring Tutorial

Thought you might like a new tutorial. This is also published in the Rock-A-Teer for August.

How to Make a Spiral Wire Bead Ring
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Spiral-Wire-Bead-Ring

Wire rings are very much in style this season. They can come in different shapes and colored beads to wear with different outfits. Twisting the wire is not difficult with the correct tools. All you have to do is make sure that the beads have holes in the center, so you can easily pull the wire through.

Supplies you will need:
• 1 foot (30 cm) 18g wire, soft. Hobby stores will usually have several suitable types (copper, sterling silver, etc.)
• 1 handmade bead with hole large enough to fit 2 pieces of 18g wire. (Rondell shape works best)
• Wirecutter
• Chain-nose (or needle-nose) pliers
• Ring mandrel or dowel in desired ring size - mandrels can be purchased through jewelry supply outlets and dowels can be found at your local hardware store. You may also be able to find something around the house of the right size and shape... a candle, broom handle, toilet paper holder, etc.

Directions:

1. Place center of wire against your form (a ring mandrel or dowel) and wrap twice around leaving the tails long.

2. Bend the tails up sharply.

3. Place the bead onto both wires and slide down to the base of the ring.

4. Bend the wires to a right angle directly on the top of the bead.

5. Spiral the wires on top of the bead. This can be a bit tricky. Start by making a small circle with one of the wires where it emerges from the bead, then push the other wire behind and against it, being careful not to overlap the wires. If you see the spiral start to puff up, use a small block of wood and press gently but firmly on the spiral to push it against the bead as you turn the wires. Continue spiraling until the desired size is achieved. Be sure to leave a tail of at least 2" (5 cm) on each wire to complete.

6. Bring the tail wires down to the ring shank on opposite sides of the bead and wrap around the base of the ring to secure. Trim and tuck the wire ends down and you are done!

Warnings:
These are very dangerous if done just slightly improperly. Be careful - make sure to tuck the exposed sharp ends into one of the knots on either side to prevent being hurt. Imagine giving this as a gift and they start to bleed, not a good sight. Suffice to say just put it on and tough up to check for problems. You may want to use a small jewelry file to file any sharp points.