Wrapping Wire

I should have been born second.

In all the books I read, it was always the second sister who looked up to and admired her fabulous, amazing older sister.  Of course, some of the time these older sisters were horrible and shallow, but I didn't pay attention to that.  I just wondered what I was doing wrong.  I didn't see anything fabulous about me, and I wished I was more like my younger sister.

That doesn't seem to have ended.

The other day I was talking to her on the phone and she said she needed to buy a mandrel because she'd been making rings - wire-wrapped rings - and was having a hard time getting the sizes right.

Wire wrapped rings?

I wanted to make rings, too!

So I found some online tutorials and bought a mandrel and some (more) wire and (more) beads and started in.

I made four small rings that I thought Julia might like.

She did...at first.  And then she didn't, so I cut them up to retrieve the beads, and tried over.

I made a couple rings and gave them to a friend of mine at work.  I like the pink one - it's made with pale pink copper wire, too, which I'm in love with. 

And then I tried making some rings with old buttons, too.  That first ring at the top of the post is made using a small mother-of-pearl button from somewhere - I've got a bunch of assorted buttons in a can. 

Here's how it looks like underneath:

Julia said she likes this one, so it's hers.  It certainly isn't perfect, but I'm still at the low end of the learning curve, so that's okay.

I also made this one from an even smaller satin-covered button:

Julia chose the gunmetal-colored copper wire.  I think she chose well.

Anyway, that's one of the latest little creative endeavors here.  I've still got a lot of work to do to make the rings look really good, but rings are quick projects, and they're fun.

Have you been up to anything new lately?

 

Comments

[Donna B.]

So cute! I can see why anyone'd look up to you - I do! Hehe~
That pink one is cute too. Are they easy to make?

[judith]

Those are really cute! Make some wine glass markers.

[Jayne]

Theyre pretty easy, but a bit awkward while youre wrapping the wire around the mandrel and trying to line it up at the desired ring size and keeping it there, but the more I practice, the easier it gets. Im still not happy with my results yet, but Im getting there.

[Donna B.]

Hm. For that, maybe using some masking tape as a placeholder to keep the wire from moving as you're working with it to keep it from sliding down the mandrel?
Are you planning on putting any of these up on your Etsy Store? Maybe as a group set? I've been overlooking your necklaces but I lack simple nice rings... *hint* *hint* *wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge*

[Jayne]

Donna - actually, since Ive written that post Ive gotten better at holding things in place on the mandrel. And yes - once I feel theyre worth offering to the public, Ill put some rings on Etsy. :)

[tracey]

Jayne -- I wanna play!! These look totally cool to make!! Gorgeous.