beginner wire
Rays
Sun of the
Link sunburst shapes in graduated sizes to make a simple wire choker. by Cynthia Wuller
A
trip to the Philippines in my early teens inspired me to take up wireworking. The intricate wire objects displayed at the open-air market amazed me. Taking my cue from these designs, I strive to manipulate
wire into jewelry that is simultaneously delicate and sturdy. The featured necklace can be made with craft wire or with sterling silver wire. Instead of using turquoise beads, you can substitute a different natural stone bead or pearl.
The open, curved links in this necklace are forged to workharden and strengthen the wire. 2 x 14 in. (51 x 356mm).
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1
2
3
4
5 small
This necklace is made with 16 ray links, in four different sizes, that are connected to 14 bead links. Refer to the chart, below, as a quick guide for cutting and shaping the wire pieces for the ray links.
Link size
Number of links
Length of wire for each link
small
10
2 3 ⁄4 in. (70mm)
5 8
medium
2
3 in. (76mm)
34
large
3
4 in. (10.2cm)
x-large
1
5 1 ⁄4 in. (13.3cm)
Make the ray links
Cut the wire for the ray links. Use wire cutters to cut 20-gauge (0.8mm) craft wire or sterling silver wire into the pieces specified in the chart, above. [1–3] Shape a ray link. Use chainnose pliers to make a tight U at the midpoint of a piece of wire [1]. Using your fingers, gently open the U [2]. Holding the bent tip of the wire in
Width of curved link
Opening between ray loops
⁄ in. (16mm)
3 8
⁄ in. (19mm)
3 8
78
⁄ in. (22mm)
3 8
11 ⁄4 in. (32mm)
12
medium
large
⁄ in. (9.5mm) ⁄ in. (9.5mm) ⁄ in. (9.5mm)
x-large
⁄ in. (13mm)
one hand, use the thumb and forefinger of your other hand to make a curve that bows outward on each side of the bend [3].
face of a planishing hammer to forge the ray, avoiding the loops. This work-hardens the wire and confirms the shape.
[4] Make loops in the ray link. Use roundnose pliers to make a basic loop at each end of the wire, and then bend the loops perpendicular to the ray link.
Shape the remaining ray links. Follow steps 1–5 to shape and forge the remaining ray links.
[5] Forge the ray link. Place the ray link on a steel block, then use the flat ar tjewelr ymag.com
7
6
8
11 Curve the ray links
[6] Curve the small and medium ray links. Lay the widest part of the ray link on the middle knuckle of your forefinger. Use your other hand to gently bend the link to give it a subtle curve. [7] Curve the larger ray links. Lay the widest part of the ray link over the heel of your thumb, and gently bend the link to give it a subtle curve. Curve the tips of all the ray links. Use chainnose pliers to slightly curve up the tips of all the ray links.
9
10
12
13
Make the
bead links
[8] Make the bead links. Cut a 1-in. (25.5mm) piece of wire. On one end, make a plain loop (see Basics). Slide a 6mm bead on the wire, and make a plain loop. Grasp the loops with chainnose and roundnose pliers, and align the loops in the same plane [8]. Make a total of 14 bead links.
Make the clasp
[9–11] Make the hook. Cut a 2½-in. (64mm) piece of wire. Use needlenose pliers to bend a tight U at the midpoint of the wire [9]. Measure 3 ⁄8 in. (9.5mm) from one end, and make a perpendicular bend. Using roundnose pliers, grasp both ends just above the bend, and use chain-
nose pliers to wrap the bent end around the straight end [10]. Use roundnose pliers to make a loop in the stem. Place the doubled wire on a steel block, and, avoiding the wraps, use a planishing hammer to flatten the wire. Grasp the center of the doubled wire in roundnose pliers, and then bend the doubled wire around one jaw of the pliers to form a hook [11]. Bend the tip of the doubled wire up 45°. Position the chainnose pliers at the bend you just made, and squeeze the pliers to close the hook. [12–14] Make the eye. Cut a 1½-in. (38mm) piece of wire. Place the center of the wire at the midpoint of your roundnose pliers, and make a loop [12]. Use chainnose pliers to ar tjewelr ymag.com
materials ■
■
■
Craft wire: 20-gauge (0.8mm), round, 2 yd. (1.8m) Sterling silver wire: 20gauge (0.8mm), round, half-hard, 2 yd. (1.8m) (optional) 14 beads or pearls: 6mm
14 bead links
tools & supplies ■ ■
■ ■
10 small links
Wire cutters Pliers: chainnose, roundnose, needlenose Steel block Hammer: planishing
2 medium links
suppliers ■
■
■
The author prefers Bead Smith Craft Wire (Fusion Beads, fusionbeads.com) Sterling silver wire (Rio Grande: 800.545.6566, riogrande.com) Beads or pearls (Fire Mountain Gems, 800.355.2137, firemountaingems.com)
Assemble the necklace as shown.
1 x-large link
make two wraps below the loop [13]. Use roundnose pliers to make a second, smaller loop on the opposite end of the wire. Hammer the loops, avoiding the wraps, and check the fit with the hook [14].
Assemble the
necklace
[15] Connect the links. Refer to the diagram, above, as you assemble the necklace. Begin at the focal point of the necklace. Set the large ray link on top of the extra-large link, keeping the loops of the extra-large link above the loops of the large link [15].
15
Open one loop of a bead link and attach one pair of loops of the extralarge ray link and the large ray link. Close the bead link. Next, add a large ray link and a small ray link, pairing them as you did the large and extralarge ray links. Add a bead link and a medium ray link. Connect an alternating pattern of five bead links and four small links. Repeat on the other side of the focal point. Connect the clasp. Attach the loop half of the clasp to one end of the necklace and the hook to the opposite end.
Process photos by Cynthia Wuller.
14
3 large links
Cynthia Wuller’s wirework jewelry designs are an extrapolation of a storied history inspired by characters from mythology and fairy tales. “I imagined Rays of the Sun to be a necklace that gives special abilities to the wearer,” she says. “It was meant for a person to temporarily use power from the god, Ra. The links captured the sun rays and transferred that power to the wearer. When in use, the links would hold glowing disks that would slowly fade out when the power ends.” Wuller may be contacted via e-mail at cbwuller@yahoo.com.
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