© 2020 by Lora S. Irish and Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552.
Making Copper Wire Earrings is an original work, first published in 2020 by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright holders.
Print ISBN 978-1-4971-0015-2
eISBN 978-1-6076-5725-5
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Acknowledgments
I wish to extend my deepest thanks to Colleen Dorsey and Wendy Reynolds for their excellent work in the creation, development, and refinement of this book. As an author, it is a wonderful experience to work with such a well-skilled team.
Introduction
Of all the kinds of jewelry, I think earrings are the most personally expressive that you can wear. They accent your eyes, your hair length, your neckline, and, of course, your mood. Most of all, wirework and wire-wrapped earrings add a surprise of sparkle, flash, and bling as you turn or tilt you head.
As a crafter, wire-wrapped earrings are a quick and easy outlet for the creative side of your personality. A little change in the size or shape of the beads that you use, a small difference in how you roll a tight spiral, and even the length of a chain dangle can create a totally new and unique design. A little time, a couple of dollars’ worth of beads and wire, and you have wonderful gifts for your family and friends.
Most of the projects presented in this book take less than half an hour to make. The earring sets that became my favorites while I was working are what I call the “end of the day” or “bottom of my kit” sets where I chose to make just one more set from what was left over from the day’s work. You’d be surprised at how great such pairs of earrings can turn out!
As you work through the ideas presented here, I hope that you are inspired to make even more new, unique earring sets beyond what I had the space to share with you.
So, let’s get out some wire, some pliers, and some bright and sparkly beads, and let’s have ourselves some fun.
Contents
Chapter 1: Materials andḥ Tools
Anatomy of an Earring
How to Create the 14 Basic Bends
Combining Basic Bends to Make Wirework Links
Endless Variations on One Wirework Link
Chapter 3: Making Earring Hooks
PART 2: PROJECTS
Chapter 4: Step-by-Step Projects