Friday, September 11, 2009

TUTORIAL- WIRE WRAPPED SEA GLASS PENDANT

Hi everyone! I have been fortunate enough to participate in the Totally Tutorials Exchange Program! If you haven't heard about this AWESOME program, it basically matches up suppliers and artists. The suppliers offer supplies for free, in exchange for a tutorial using those supplies. For more information, tutorials, and chances to participate, please visit the Totally Tutorials blog!

On to my tutorial! I received a bunch of absolutely beautiful sea glass from 808Sunshine on Etsy. I decided to create a wire wrapped pendant. (Actually, since it was so fun I made lots of them.) Please visit her shop and look at her beautiful supplies. Who doesn't want sea glass from the shores of Oahu?

Supplies:
Sea glass

Flat nosed pliers
Round nosed pliers
Side cutter pliers (not pictured)

About 18 inches of wire (I used a copper coated base wire for mine, but you can use any sort of wire you would like)

Select a piece of sea glass you want to use for your pendant.

Set your piece of sea glass aside and create a wire wrapped loop.
To do this:
Bend the wire at a 45 degree angle using your flat nosed pliers.

Create a loop using your round nosed pliers.

Wrap underneath the bottom of the loop by holding the loop with your flat nose pliers and wrapping the short end of the wire around the long end underneath the loop. If there is extra after three wraps or so, trim it off using your side cutter pliers.

Position the loop where you would like the top of the pendant to be and begin wrapping. Have fun and experiment!

Keep wrapping until you are ready to finish the piece. Begin a spiral using your round nosed pliers.

Continue the spiral by grasping the start of it with your flat nosed pliers and twisting the wire around itself.

Position the spiral where you would like it, ensuring that the sea glass is supported by the wire and can not fall out.

That's it! It is addicting...I dare you to do just one! These five were done in a single sitting! This was my very first time using sea glass, and I loved it! They are all for sale in my Etsy shop, Altered Beauty.

I hope that this was helpful and will inspire you to visit 808Sunshine's Etsy shop and purchase some beautiful sea glass! Thanks for the amazing glass!

18 comments:

  1. Thanks so much! They are so fun to make!!!

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  2. I LOVE wire wrapping :D I have yet to work with sea glass though. Please drop by my blog. I'm posting some pictures from my new light box I made - 1 is of an earring I have yet to list :D Of course wire wrapped ;)

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  3. I love these! They are beautiful. I am featuring this at somedaycrafts.blogspot.com tomorrow. Thanks for sharing your knowledge>

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  4. Can I ask what gauge wire you used? I am always trying to figure out whether to go harder or softer gauge on wire wrapping pendants...

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  5. It looks like you had a lot of fun! Thanks for sharing. Will link in a future blog post.

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  6. I really love them, thank you for sharing the tutorial.

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  7. Those are so great. I was so disappointed. My sea glass from 808Sunshine never showed up. I had several things in mind to do with it. But you did a great job. They're gorgeous and your directions are easy to follow.
    http://KayzKreationz.blogspot.com
    http://KayzKreationz.etsy.com

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  8. I live by the ocean and have a ton of sea glass that I've been trying to figure out what to do with. I'm also currently trying to do one completely novel thing a day for the next year, so when I came across these instructions I gave it a try. You're right! It is addictive! I will be blogging about my experience at http://thenovelexperienceexperiment.blogspot.com in a few days and will be linking back to this post! Thanks so much!

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  9. beautiful! and very simple helpful instructions. thanks. just wondering what is the gauge you use? 18 or 20?
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  10. I guess I have the stone crafting bug lol I recently visited Howe's Cavern here in upstate New York and got some polished and unpolished stones. Then I just had to get a rock tumbler too. I have some beach glass as well as stones that this tutorial is going to be very helpful with. Thank you and I look forward to more of your great posts. :)

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  11. I LOVE wire wrapping :D I have yet to work with sea glass though. Please drop by my blog. I'm posting some pictures from my new light box I made - 1 is of an earring I have yet to list :D Of course wire wrapped ;)
    Wire wrapped earrings

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  12. Nice so pretty thank you for sharing

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  13. Nice so pretty thank you for sharing

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  14. what gauge wire? Love them, just starting, Hope I can do it.

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  15. This is very helpful! My daughter seems to prefer thinner wire, easier for her to work with maybe? I wonder if that wire is sturdy enough for the loop to not bend out of shape.

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  16. This is a very helpful website. Thank you! I am wondering if after you finish wrapping the sea glass if you come up again and wrap around the loop again to secure it. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you again!

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