Enmeshed earrings

Snare a pair of round beads in a simple netting technique that will captivate any onlooker.

By Irina Miech

You can also use this technique to

capture a cabochon for a pendant

or bracelet focal.

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difficulty level

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the first loop in round 1, forming a new loop. Bring the wire through this new loop from front to back to lock the loop in place.

5 Continue working as in step 4 to complete round 2. To grow the flower shape evenly around the entire perimeter of the netting, increase the size of the loops. Where needed, work an extra loop in the occa-sional loop from round 1 to achieve a smooth shape (e).

6 Add rounds 3–4 in the same manner as round 2.

7 String the netted flower and a 10 mm round bead on a head pin. Form the netting around the shape of the bead (f).

8 Work round 5 as before, but pull the loops tighter so that the netting begins to hug the bead.

9 Work additional rounds, decreasing the size of the loops and skipping loops as necessary to condense the netting evenly and keep it centered around the bead hole. The last round should leave a small opening in

1 Cut a 30-in. (76.2 cm) piece of 28-gauge wire. About 2 in. (51 mm) from one end, tie a loose over-hand knot. Tighten the knot until the opening is 2–3 mm in diameter (a).

tip You can tighten the knot around a toothpick or awl (b) to create the right size opening.

2 Holding the 2-in. (51 mm) tail out of the way, bring the long (working) end of the wire up through the opening of the knot from below, form-ing a 3-mm loop. Bring the working end of the wire through this new loop from front to back to lock the loop in place (c).

3 Repeat step 2 all around the opening of the knot, making a total of five to seven loops (d). Your work should now resemble a flower. This completes round 1 of the netting.

tip Hold the tail out of the way to keep it on the outside of the netting.

4 To begin round 2, bring the working end of the wire from back to front through

materialsearrings 15⁄8 in. (41 mm)• 60 in. (1.5 m) 28-gauge (0.32 mm) wire, round• 2 10 mm round beads • 2 8 mm large-hole saucer spacers• 2 5 mm large-hole round spacers • 2 1½-in. (38 mm) ball head pins • pair of ear wires • 2 pairs of chainnose, flatnose, and/or bentnose pliers• roundnose pliers• wire cutters• toothpick or needle tool (optional)

All supplies available from Eclectica, www.eclectica-beads.com.

the netting at the top of the bead (g).

10 Coil the 2-in. (51 mm) tail around the head pin below the bead (How-Tos), and then coil the remaining wire around the head pin above the bead. Trim and tuck the wire ends (How-Tos) (h).

11 String an 8 mm saucer spacer and a 5 mm round spacer over the top coil, and make a plain loop (How-Tos) with the head pin (i). Open the loop (How-Tos), attach an ear wire, and close the loop.

12 Repeat steps 1–11 to make a matching earring.

Irina Miech has been involved in jewelry making for more than 20 years. She has authored

numerous jewelry design books, including Beautiful Wire Jewelry for Beaders, volumes 1 and 2. She owns the retail bead shop Eclectica in Brookfield, Wisconsin, and offers classes in wirework and metal clay. Contact her at info@eclecticabeads.com.

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