Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Simple Heart Ring - Free Tutorial

Good afternoon! For quite some time I have been wanting to offer a free tutorial. I would love for people to get an idea of my teaching style and I would greatly appreciate feedback. This tutorial is perfect for beginners. I hope you enjoy it.


Please 'like' my Facebook page! Copar Aingeal

You can also find me at CoparAingeal.Etsy.com
I have more tutorials for sale there and more
being added each week.

~Simple Heart Ring~

Download: Simple Heart Ring

Materials List:






8 inches of 20g wire for the frame.
3.5 feet of 24g wire for the wrapping.

16-20 seed beads or 2mm gemstone beads.


Tools:
Wire Cutters, Chain Nose Pliers,
Needle Nose Pliers, Ruler, Ring Mandrel.
Optional:
Flat Nylon Jaw
Ring Mandrel

Step 1:
 With your needle nosed pliers, grab
hold of your 8 inch long 20g wire at 
the half way point (4 inches) and bend it in half.





Step 2:
Using your chain nose pliers, squish
the bend in the 20g wire, making the
two half's as close to each other as possible.





Step 3:
Turn your 20g wire on it’s side so that
you can squeeze the bend, flattening
it. This will help hold the bend of the

heart in place so that it does not open

back up.


Step 4:
Your bent and squished 20g wire should
look something like this.




Step 5:
Using your fingers, or your needle nosed
pliers, form the heart shape like the
image here. Be sure to hold the heart

against your finger to check that your

heart is the right size and shape for your
ring. You do not want the size of the
heart to be wider than your finger. 



Step 6:
Bend the ends of the heart open so that
you will be able to work between them
when you wrap the beaded 24g wire

around this framework.



Step 7:
Taking up your 3.5 feet of 24g wire,
bend it in half, leaving a 1 foot tail on
one end. Working with the shorter end

first, wrap the 24g wire around one

half of the center of the heart, as
shown.



Step 8:
Using the same shorter end of the 24g
wire, thread on your first seed bead.





Step 9:
Hold the seed bead in place with your

fingernail and bend the 24g wire over

the top, toward yourself.




Step 10:
 Wrap the 24g wire one time around the
20g framework wire, after the seed
bead, as shown.




Step 11:
Continue with this pattern..
one bead..
one wrap..

one bead..



Step 12:
Make sure that your row of beads stays
on the outside edge of your framework
wire.



Step 13:
You will want to wrap on approximately
12 beads, depending on the size of your
heart.



Step 14:
Now turn the heart over and take up
the longer end of 24g wire. Passing the
wire into the middle of the heart fold in

the framework.



Step 15:
Wrap the 24g wire 2 times around the
new side of the heart framework.




Step 16:
Now, the same as for the other side of
the heart. Thread your beads on, one
at a time and wrap them to your

framework wire.



Step 17:
Continue with the pattern..
one bead..
one wrap..

one bead..



Step 18:
Be sure to keep your beaded rows
wrapped evenly and the beads
pressed comfortable into each other.



Step 19:
Be sure that both sides are beaded
evenly. This will not always mean the
same number of beads on each side,

depending on how your center is lined

up. You may have one bead more on
one side or another, just be sure the
ends are in the same place.



Step 20:
Using your chain nosed pliers, bend
the heart framework tail straight on
both sides.



Step 21:
Trim the shorter tail end of 24g wire in
close to the framework.




Step 22:
Using the longer piece of 24g wire
that is still attached to the framework,
start binding the two 20g wires to
each other.

 

 
Step 23:
Hold the two 20g wires together with
your round nose pliers and wrap
close to the pliers.





Step 24:
Holding them in this manner will

ensure that the 20g wires remain

straight and parallel while you bind

them together.




Step 25:
Bind the two wires together for at
least an inch and a half. Now wrap
your ring around your mandrel to the

size that you want your ring to be.
Take a measurement of how much
longer you need to bind your two
20g wires to form your band.



Step 26:
If you do not have a mandrel, form
the ring the best you can into a circle
and use your finger, a wooden

spoon or a marker, where you want
the ring to be as your mandrel. Take
your measurement from there so that
you know exactly how much longer
to bind your band.



Step 27:
Finish binding your band to your desired
length.




Step 28:
Be sure to slightly bend the beaded
heart section of the ring to follow
with the circle of the piece.



Step 29:
Trim the ends of your 20g wires to
approx. 1cm.




Step 30:
Separate the two 20g wire into a ‘V’
shape.




Step 31:
Tuck the end of the ring tails under the
top of the heart.




Step 32:
Bring the two end tails into the center
top of the heart to be bound together.




Step 33:
Using your needle nosed pliers, bend
the two end tails up into the heart.




Step 34:
Ensure that your ring size is good, then
bend the two ends over the top of the
beaded heart.



Step 35:
Trim the two end tails so that they are
just long enough to wrap around the
beaded heart one time.



Step 36:
Using your chain nosed pliers, give the
end tails a squeeze, crimping them into
place around the top of the beaded

heart.



Step 37:
One final step in shaping the heart and
you are almost finished!




Step 38:
Grabbing the little ‘V’ with your chain
nosed pliers, simply bend it down to
follow the curve of the rest of the ring.

Congratulations, you are finished with
your new ring. Enjoy!











Please do not distribute, lend or copy.
Do not mass produce.
Please give credit to the Teacher.
Copyright 2013
Julie Lockhart
Copar Aingeal

13 comments:

  1. Thank you Julie , it is a gorgeous little ring which your tutorial has made look quite easy am going to have a go at it, you are one of the really nice people (artists) out there willing to share your knowledge and expertise and it is much appreciated by myself any way so again many thanks for this. regards Edwina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is indeed high praise. Thank you so much, Edwina! <3

      Delete
  2. Julie, the tutorial reads easy but doesn't make you feel stupid. Great job, that in itself will be so appreciated by beginners. Thank you for sharing this cute little gem, I will send you a picture after I do my first one

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Kim. I can't wait to see what you do with it.

      Delete
  3. Awesome!! I can't wait to try this! Thanks so much for sharing!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is a great little tutorial. Thanks for sharing. I've been beadweaving for years but just recently decided I need to learn more intricate wire working (beyond loops and occasional wraps) to compliment my jewelry making skills. I will use this, maybe with some of my little Garnet beads.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad you find it useful, Mary! Enjoy.

      Delete
  5. Adorable.. Thanks for sharing. It's so C-U-T-E!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Such a cute project and great tutorial Julie! Just a note,it looks like a couple of places you're using chain nose pliers in the photo but you wrote to use round nose pliers. I could be mistaken, but that's what the pictures look like. Other than that it's very clear! Thanks so much for sharing this with us!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are right! Thank you very much for pointing that out. I've edited it. =)

      Delete
  7. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete