Monday, January 23, 2012

Tree of Life Pendant

I found this Tree of Life Pendant on Pinterest a few months ago. I made a couple of these for Christmas presents. They are super fun to make. I made this one last night for my sister. She just made 1st chair for Bass Clarinet in All-State Band. For those of you not familiar with high school band stuff, this is a BIG deal! So, she requested this pendant in black a little while ago and now I made one for her as a congratulatory gift! 

Inspiration


Supplies

  • 18 gauge Artist Wire
  • 26 gauge wire
  • Beads
  • Necklace Chain
  • Needle Nose Pliers
  • Rounded Needle Nose Pliers
  • Wire cutters





First, you'll need a cylindrical object that is about 2 inches in diameter. I used a season salt jar. 



Next, wrap your 18 gauge wire around the object to make a perfect circle. It usually takes about 7 inches of wire or so to get around the jar and to leave extra to make the loop for the chain and some to connect the circle. Make the loop by using your rounded needle nose pliers. Then take about 4 inches of the 26 gauge wire and wrap it around the area where the two sides of the circle meet to connect them.


Now, cut 7 pieces of the 18 gauge wire 7 inches in length each. 


Next, bend each piece of cut wire in half. 



 Then, wrap each wire around the circle and twist. I used my needle nose pliers to make the twist tight.


Continue to add each wire. I added three pieces to one side of the circle and four pieces to the other.


Then start adding your beads. I did a pattern of 9, 10, 9, 10, 9, 10, 9. You can make your own pattern by the size of beads you use and how full you want your tree to be.


After you add your beads to one wire, twist the wire until you reach the bottom of the circle.


Continue to add beads and twist the wires to the bottom of the circle.


Take the middle two wires with beads and twist them together.



Then, take the side two wires and twist them together. After that, twist the side and the middle wires together. Do the same thing with the other side. There should be one last wire on the end. Just twist that one into the tree too.


Here's the tree.


Next, wrap the roots around the bottom of the circle. Use the needle nose pliers to wrap tightly and to smooth the pointy ends of the wire. 


Then, take the needle nose pliers and ad some twists to the tree branches. Add your chain and you're done!


These are super fun to make! I love trees!

No comments:

Post a Comment