Swirly Hearts and Pearls Necklace and Earring Set

Step 1

Cut the 0.8mm round sterling silver wire in half using wire cutters

Step 2

Place the 2 pieces of 0.8mm wire and 1 piece of 1mm wire on a heat-proof block.

Using a hand blow torch, move the flame up and down each wire individually until the wire gently glows red.

Be careful not to melt the wires as they will heat up very quickly. Leave the wires to cool a little then pick them up with tweezers quench (cool) in water, and then add to a warm safety pickle solution.

Step 3

When clean and dry use a micromesh board or emery stick to file around the ends of each wire so they are smooth and even.

Step 4

First, you may wish to cut your copper wire and practice shaping the wire as well as the final heart shape you’d like.

Step 5

Take one of the wires and find the middle, cross the wire ends over each other and form a loop at the centre of the wire

Top Tip “You could use a sharpie to mark the middle of the wire.”

Step 6

Take the end of the wire and use round nose pliers to grip the end. Curl the wire and start to spiral the wire round in on itself. Use flat nose pliers to grip the spiral flat and continue to spiral the wire around 2-3 times. Repeat spiralling the wire on the other wire end.

If you feel the wire is soft enough you can also use your fingertips to gently manipulate the wire round to form a spiral.

Step 7

Gently manipulate the 2 wire spirals with your fingers so they meet each other in the middle and form a heart shape.

Step 8

Place the heart shape on the heat-proof block and add silver solder paste to where the spiral wires touch as well as in the middle where the 2 spirals meet. Heat the heart using a hand blow torch until the solder melts and flows.

Top Tips

One “You can use a mug warmer or slow cooker to keep the pickle warm.”

Two “Always follow the instructions on the picklean or safety pickle.”

Three “Use plastic tweezers to remove any item from the pickle.“

Step 9

Leave the heart to cool a little and then use tweezers to pick up and quench (cool) in water and then add to a warm safety pickle solution.

Step 10

Repeat this process to create 2 other hearts using the wire provided.

Step 11

Place the top of the heart on the steel block and use a hammer to flatten the spirals. Leave the loop at the bottom as is. To finish the hearts use a silver polishing cloth or add to a barrel/tumble polisher with water and barrelbrite according to the instructions.

Step 12

Cut the 0.4mm silver wire into 3 x 40 mm lengths. Place the wires on the heatproof block. One at a time use a hand blow torch to heat the end of the wire, concentrating the heat on the very end of the wire until it forms a ball on the end of the wire. Repeat this on all wires.

Leave the wires to cool a little and then use tweezers to pick up each wire and quench (cool) in water and then add to a warm safety pickle solution.

Step 13

Thread the pearl onto the 0.4mm wire and thread the wire through the loop on the heart shape.

Step 14

Bend the wire to form a loop and then wrap the wire around itself several times as neatly as possible to make a coil. Cut the excess wire with wire cutters and use pliers to gently push the wire flush. Repeat for all the hearts.

Step 15

For the earrings take the 2 hearts made from 0.8mm wire.

Attach the hook wires by gripping the hoop of the hook wires with a pair of snipe nose, flat or chain nose pliers on one side and a pair of snipe nose, flat or chain nose pliers on the other side. Twist one pair of pliers forward to open the loop.

Step 16

Thread the hoop through the swirl of the heart and then close the hoop by gripping the hoop of the hook wires with a pair of snipe nose, flat or chain nose pliers on one side and a pair of snipe nose, flat or chain nose pliers on the other side. Twist one pair of pliers back to close the loop flush.

Repeat to make the other earring making sure the other heart earring hangs the opposite way to make a ‘mirror image’.

Step 17

For the pendant thread the silver chain through the middle of the heart.

Finished Set

We hope you enjoyed making this Swirly Hearts and Pearls Necklace and Earring Set. If you have any questions or want to know more, get in touch with us on Facebook and Instagram.

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