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Wire Charm Wrap Anklet (Tutorial)

by Rena Klingenberg. © 2003-Present Rena Klingenberg. All Rights Reserved

This free-spirited ankle wrap is a fun warm-weather style.

It’s a perfect project to make on summer vacation – or at a teen slumber party.

And because one size fits all, these anklets are a fun summer gift for everyone who will be baring their ankles.

You can even make them in your colors for lovely beach wedding jewelry!

Supplies:

• 16-gauge round soft wire – I used copper.
• Soft, comfortable, colorful cord – approximately 45″ (114cm) long.
  I used 2mm wide ultrasuede, which is ideal for this project:

  

• 5 Sturdy jump rings – mine are 10mm antiqued copper:
  
• 2 Rustic beads with holes big enough to thread onto your cord.
  I used brown wooden beads:
  
• Wire cutter.
• Round nose pliers.
• Flat nose pliers.
• Chain nose pliers.
• Scissors – for cutting your cord.
• Optional: Plastic, nylon, or rawhide hammer, plus jeweler’s steel block – for straightening and hammer-hardening your wire charms.

How to Make a
Wire Charm Wrap Anklet

We’ll start by making five wire charms.

And because we don’t know exactly how much wire we’ll use for each charm, we’re going to work directly from the roll of wire:

We’ll make 2 different primitive symbols for our wire charms – one representing the sun, and one representing water.

That gives this finished anklet a “sun and sea” theme.

Make Sun Symbol Wire Charms

This sun symbol is primitive, so we’re not making a perfectly smooth spiral.

Instead, we’re going to make it very irregular – with some curves and some angles.

Start by using your round nose pliers to curve the wire end into a small hook.

Then create a loose spiral around the hook by making irregular bends in the wire.

Keep making your rugged spiral until you’ve gone around about 3 times:

Now use your round nose pliers to bend the end of your wire straight upward.

Use your wire cutter to cut your spiral off of the main coil of wire. Leave a tail about 10mm – 15mm (0.4″ – 0.6″) long.

Now turn the wire tail into a loop by rolling the tip of the wire downward:

Your finished primitive sun charm should look something like this:

Now make 2 more sun charms, so you’ll have a total of 3 of them.

Make Water Symbol Wire Charms

Water has traditionally been symbolized by a wavy line.

So our water symbol charm will have a few waves and then a loop.

Start by using your flat nose pliers to grasp your wire about 10mm – 15mm (0.4″ – 0.6″) from the end.

Bend the wire so the the end points upward.

Then use your flat nose pliers to make wave-shaped bends in your wire.

After the last wave, use your wire cutter to cut your charm off the main coil of wire:

Now use your round nose pliers to grasp the tip of the straight end of your water-symbol charm.

Make a loop by rolling the tip of the wire downward:

Your finished primitive water charm should look something like this:

Make 1 more water charm, so you’ll have a total of 2 of them.

When you’re finished, you should have a collection of 5 “sun and sea” charms:

Optional: You can flatten, straighten, and harden your wire charms by hammering both sides of them with your plastic, nylon, or rawhide hammer:

Measure and Cut Your Cord

Measure around your ankle, where you will wear the ankle bracelet.

Multiply that number by 3, and add 15″ (38cm).

Example:

Let’s say the ankle measures 9 inches. The cord length will be:

(9 inches x 3) + 15 inches = 42 inches total cord length.

Assembling the Ankle Bracelet

It’s time to attach a jump ring to each of your wire charms.

If you’re new to using jump rings, see my quick tip, How to Open and Close a Jump Ring.

Use your flat nose and chain nose pliers to twist open 5 jump rings:

Thread a jump ring through the loop of each charm, and twist the jump rings shut again:

Choose one of your sun-symbol charms to be in the center of your anklet.

Thread the charm’s jump ring onto your cord, and slide it down to the midpoint of your cord.

Tie the cord in a simple overhand knot around the jump ring, and pull the knot tight:

Now add one of your water charms, spacing it about 1.5″ (38mm) away from the sun charm.

Then add your other water charm about 1.5″ (38mm) away from the other side of your sun charm:

Now add your remaining 2 sun charms, about 1.5″ (38mm) away from your water charms:

It’s time to finish off the ends of your cord.

String one of your large-hole beads onto one end of your cord.

Below the bead, tie a simple overhand knot in the cord to keep the bead from sliding off the cord.

String the other bead onto the other end of your cord, and tie a knot below it:

Now your finished ankle bracelet should look something like this:

How to Wear Your Ankle Bracelet:

Wrap the cord around your ankle 3 times, arranging it so that your charms are positioned where you like.

Then tie the cord ends together with a simple overhand knot, plus a second overhand knot on top of the first one.