October Tutorial Swirl and Curl Chain

I'm finally getting caught up. No one is putting pressure on me to create these tutorials but myself but it was one of my New Years resolutions. How are your resolutions coming or did they go out the window say about June? I've been at least trying to keep this one but it is hard...life gets in the way sometimes and at the beginning of the year we think we can accomplish so much that it won't be a problem. Okay like that is ever the case. So, here is October's tutorial the Swirl and Curl Chain.

Playing with wire in my craft room one day I came up with these links that could be joined together with jump rings to create a chain. I’ve worn the bracelet and necklace now everyday in testing and it is very comfortable and doesn’t come apart. Here’s how to do it.

Supplies Needed:

• Stainless Steel block
• Hammer
• 16 or 18 gauge soft wire. I used copper and soft sterling. The brass was hard so I only used it a couple of times.
• Jump rings that are 6mm or 7mm in size
• Toggle clasp or a clasp of your choosing
• Wire cutters
• Chain nose pliers
• Round nose pliers

Instructions:

1. Cut 3 2.5” pieces of wire to make the swirls as shown in the middle of the bracelet
2. Make a loop with your round nose pliers at one end of one piece of wire, make sure that your loop is large enough that your jump rings will not slip through. You may have to slide a jump ring on to test it out.
3. Make a loop going the opposite direction at the other end of the wire
4. Holding the wire in the middle with your chain nose pliers, insert the round nose pliers in the loop on one side and curl towards the center.
5. Turn your wire piece around and do the same thing to the opposite side until you have swirls curling inward as pictured in the top row of pictures.
6. Make 2 more of these swirls.
7. Cut 4 2” pieces of wire to make the curls
8. Make a loop with your round nose pliers at one end of a piece of wire.
9. Make another loop on the opposite side of that wire curling it in the same direction. These do not have to be perfect.
10. Make 3 more of these curls.
11. Slightly hammer your curls and swirl links on the stainless steel block to harden the wire and shape them flat.
12. Open a jump ring and insert two of your links.
13. Close the jump ring.
14. Continue adding jump rings and links in your desired pattern.
15. Add a jump ring at the end of each side of your bracelet and add your clasp.
16. There you go a beautiful bracelet that you fashioned yourself.

My advice is to practice with copper wire and then move onto sterling if you want. If you like the tri color effect, then you would use copper, brass or 14kt gold filled and sterling silver wire. If you like the look of the necklace then you would continue making curl and swirl links until you have achieved the length you need.