InspirationFX: Live Life Large

InspirationFX
Get your creative juices flowing

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Live Life Large
by: Pam Kearns
The fashion magazines are full of these larger-than-life sparkle pieces. However, they use resin! If you  want to 'bling' - then use the real stuff! I'm not a wire-worker, but I was able to work the wire through without much difficulty. The 22 gauge wire worked well.

Assembly:

Layout how you would like your shapes to appear (see photos). Do NOT install the stones into the findings yet, but you can sit them on the top for design purposes.

Find the centre of the wire, loop over a pencil, knitting needle, or similar and give a couple of twists so that you have a wire loop.

Next, start adding your findings. Thread one end of wire from the outside of the first finding through the hole at one end, and then to diagonally through the finding and exiting the opposite hole. (Other side, other end.) Repeat with the other end of the wire, criss-crossing the wires in the finding. Work the finding down to the centre of the wire.

Repeat the process with each finding, crossing the wires within the findings. Ensure that the findings' prongs are all pointing upright in the same direction! Keep checking the length and adjusting the spacing as you need. (Bonus design idea - thread beads between the findings for more fabulous-ness!

When the last finding is strung on, work one of the wires back around and through the finding and diagonally out the other side. Finish by wrapping the wire ends around the adjacent wire; trim. Use your pencil or knitting needle to twist a loop at the end which will help tighten up the cuff a little bit more, and provide a loop to attach the clasp. 

Attach the toggle and bar to the cuff with the jumprings (one component at each end). If you find the toggle tight to close, add 1 additional jumpring  when attaching the bar.

When you are happy with the fit and all adjustments are done, then you add the Swarovskis to the findings. Lay the crystals in the settings and close the prongs. I used the back of a small spoon to help bend the prongs or you can use a bezel setter. Be careful not to slip and scratch the crystals or the metal!

Components

Go to our components list for this project and to buy what you need!
Need some help with some of the techniques? Check our tips page.