by Rena Klingenberg.
A curvy, abstract wire pendant is the focal element of this eye-catching necklace.
The wire pendant measures about 2.75″ (7cm) wide x 3.3″ (8.5cm) high.
We’ll do two unusual things while making this necklace:
- We’ll work directly from our roll of wire, waiting till we’re finished to cut the wire.
- We’ll avoid tool marks on our wire . . . by not using tools. 🙂
Supplies:
- 14 gauge soft round wire – I used about 17.75″ (45cm) of brass wire to make the curvy focal of this necklace.
You may want to use aluminum or copper wire instead of brass if your fingers aren’t strong.
- A Sharpie marker (which we’ll use as a tool, not for marking).
- Wire cutter that’s designed to cut 14 gauge wire (I used a Xuron cutter that’s made to cut memory wire).
Don’t ruin a cutter that’s not made to handle 14 gauge wire! - Jewelry file or cup bur for smoothing and rounding your wire ends.
- Chain – enough to make a necklace of your desired length.
- 2 Jump rings – for attaching the chain to your wire focal pendant.
- 2 pair of pliers (chain nose / flat nose) for opening and closing your jump rings.
- Jeweler’s steel block and plastic, nylon, or rubber hammer for straightening and hardening your finished wire piece.
- Optional: Dome-face chasing hammer – for flattening parts of your finished wire piece.
How to Make the
Dangerous Curves Wire & Chain Necklace:
As I mentioned above, we’ll work from our roll of wire instead of cutting off a piece of wire that’s a specific length.
So we’ll start out by using a wire cutter to trim a tiny bit off the end of the wire, to make a nice flat end that we can easily smooth off:
Use your jewelry file or cup bur to smooth and round this wire end:
Now we’ll start shaping the wire into our “dangerously curvy” centerpiece.
Heavy gauges of soft wire can easily be dented by pliers.
So just for fun we’ll use a Sharpie marker to shape our wire, resulting in a finished wire focal piece that’s completely dent-free.
Start by using your fingers to curve your wire end around your Sharpie marker to make a teardrop-shaped loop:
Now your wire should look like this:
Move a little farther down your wire and curve the wire around your Sharpie to make a second teardrop-shaped loop:
Now your wire should look like this:
Move a little farther down your wire and use your Sharpie to make another upside-down teardrop shaped loop:
Your wire should look like this:
Now move a little farther along your wire and use your fingers to curve your wire around the Sharpie to make another teardrop loop:
Your wire should now look like this:
This time, go significantly farther along your wire, and use your Sharpie to create a very tall upside-down teardrop loop:
Now your wire should look like this:
Move down the wire a bit and make a sixth teardrop loop with your Sharpie.
Now your wire should look like this:
Now we’ll make the final teardrop loop.
Use your Sharpie to make an upside-down teardrop loop that’s about the same size as the first loop you made:
Now your wire should look something like this:
It’s time to cut your wire.
Use your wire cutter to make the cut here:
Use your jewelry file or cup bur to make a nice smooth, rounded end on your wire:
Then gently bend the last inch of the wire so that your newly filed wire end touches the rest of the pendant.
Now your Dangerous Curves wire piece should look something like this:
It’s time to straighten and harden your wirework using a plastic, rubber, or nylon hammer and steel jeweler’s block.
Hammer one side of your wire piece all over; then turn it over and hammer the second side all over:
If you like, you can add a bit of extra style to your wire piece by using a domed chasing hammer to flatten parts of your design:
After hammering, use your Sharpie marker to shape up any of your curves that may have come open during hammering.
Now your finished piece should look like this:
It’s time to add the chain and turn this wire artistry into a necklace!
I used a single length of chain that’s long enough so that I can slip the necklace over my head without using a clasp.
Use jump rings to attach your chain to the end loops on your dangerously curvy wire pendant:
. . . and your necklace is finished.
And because of the way we created the wire piece, we had no wasted wire – and no tool marks on the finished piece! 🙂
Also see Marcia’s lovely innovation for this necklace design – Marcia’s Dangerous Curves.
Want to Learn the Basics of
Designing Your Own Wire Jewelry?
In my Design and Make Artistic Jewelry Components video class, you’ll learn how to get great ideas for wire jewelry designs – and then follow my easy system for turning those ideas into successful pieces of jewelry.
By the end of this online video class, you’ll be designing and making your own artistic earwires, clasps, connectors, and pendant bails.
You’ll also learn my tips for making wire jewelry more easily, with more professional looking results.
Wire is so much fun all by itself. It can be made to look like something other than hard and rigid. You’ve demonstrated that transformation beautifully here.
This design is beautiful. My imagination has asked “What if” and I began see this design in other types of wire, i.e. twisted, copper, silver and/or adding a drop bead or lace small beads to this terrific design. I can’t wait to play with your design. I am grateful for your creativity and generosity of sharing of this tutorial.
I love this idea and have a basket of components I make from my scrap wire I always use it up making things for my Basket. I always have earring wires, hooks, and whatever, I only have to look in my basket.
Thanks again Rena for another brilliant piece of work, ideas just keep flowing.
You did a great job here 🙂
Thanks for sharing.
I think the necklace turned out great. Wire is such a cool material to work with, Nice tutorial.
Cute necklace!
Great idea and tutorial! Beautiful work.
Love this idea! I have thought about trying my hand at jewelry making. You make it seen so easy.
You’ve always got the BEST ideas! And your tutorials are excellent. I’m not a jewelry maker but you make me believe I could be 🙂
I’ve pinned this for sure.
Another brilliant idea and wonderful tutorial.
Your jewelry is always so pretty, and easy to make, and you always give the best tutorials. I know cause if I can figure it out anyone can! Very pretty and elegant piece. Sorry I’m late getting to you been enjoying out door time that I couldn’t do last summer.
Dear Rena,
As you already know I love this flowing design. It reminds me of the winding roads if Ireland. I’ve made several, but my biggest problem, even after hammering them and placing the bends close together, is the jump rings slide off. Do you have a remedy? Marcia
Your design really caught my eye. Even though I love the thought of seeing myself sitting at a desk forming beautiful jewelry, it is wishful thinking. I have plenty of ideas that I just can’t bring to life; although, that doesn’t stop me from enjoying your beautiful designs. My passion is in Paper…cards, small books, boxes, etc., and sometimes I incorporate wires, beads and charms into
my designs. I love your work!
Hi Rena,
I stumbled across your website tonight while researching for my Business Management Course and amazingly, I found you through the segment of Laws & Legislation’s, I was quite surprised and impressed.. I closed my studies for the night (it’s 3am NZ time here right now) and began looking through your site. I make jewellery and health enhancing jewellery, and finding this particular item has inspired me to purchase some wire from USA. It’s much cheaper than buying from our own country, I’m going to make this necklace with a few differences, as I do not like to copy someone else’s products. It’s beautiful and quite inspiring. Thank you for being so easy to find and interrupting my horrible portion of my course with such great tutorials.
kind Regards, Crissy NZ.
Thank you, Crissy, it’s so lovely to hear that you’re inspired by the Dangerous Curves Necklace! I’d love to see what you create. And it’s my pleasure to interrupt the horrible part of your studies with jewelry projects! 🙂 I wish you much luck and success in your coursework!
This looks doable for a gal who hasn’t made anything with wire worth wearing. Thank you for sharing your expertise with us. You always inspire and encourage fellow designers. We appreciate you so much, Rena!
Sheila, thank you for your lovely comment! You just made my day. 🙂
I love the fun and stylish look of this piece! It looks fun to make too. It would look great with colored wires too.
Val, thanks so much! And lovely idea to create this necklace with colored wire – I can imagine a display of these in a variety of wire colors!
Thank you for a great jumping off point. My mind is swirling with different variations. Thank you for another awesome tutorial Rena!!