Dale Chihuly Color Inspiration Earrings

by Kristal Wick

Category: Contemporary
Technique(s): Making Spirals
Skill Level: Beginner

These earrings were inspired by Dale Chihuly's beautiful gilded frost and obsidian chandelier and I loved the color pallet. They are a fun project to make up in a variety of colored wire. Create a matching necklace using a length of the beaded chain. When you first start out, it may take a few practice runs to get 2 earrings to match. No worries, you'll be whipping them out in no time!

Materials

Sterling Silver Chain w/ Pearls 3-4mm - 5 Feet

C8-193U

Lesson Quantity: 6.00 inches
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $88.90
Gold Club Price: $66.68

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Sterling Silver Oxidized Chain w/ Pearls 3-4mm - 5 Feet

C8-331U

Lesson Quantity: 6.00 inches
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $82.60
Gold Club Price: $61.95

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Sterling Silver Chain with Pearls 1.5-2mm - 5 Feet

C8-213U

Lesson Quantity: 6.00 inches
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $52.50
Gold Club Price: $39.38

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20 Gauge Round Antique Copper Enameled Craft Wire - 30 ft

H5-Q20-30FT

Lesson Quantity: 16.00 inches
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $6.80
Gold Club Price: $5.10

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Gold Filled Head Pin (016) 26GA 1.5 inch - Pack of 10

J8-27

Lesson Quantity: 2.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $3.92
Gold Club Price: $2.94

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4mm Light Topaz 5328 Bi-Cone Swarovski Crystal Beads - Pack of 10

A13-21A

Lesson Quantity: 2.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $1.57
Gold Club Price: $1.18

Out of Stock

Gold Filled Cable Chain 1.0mm - 10 Feet

C4-119U

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $54.00
Gold Club Price: $40.50

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Tools

WireJewelry - Ultimate Wire-Pliers Jewelry Pliers with Case, Set of 5

G15-20

G15-20
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $170.72
Gold Club Price: $128.04

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Steel Bench Block 4x4 Inch - Pack of 1

G17-10

G17-10
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $21.95
Gold Club Price: $16.46

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Chasing Hammer with Wooden Handle, 1 1/8 Inch Face

G3-27

G3-27
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $13.95
Gold Club Price: $10.46

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Wubbers Small Bail Making Pliers

G2-1301

G2-1301
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $24.95
Gold Club Price: $18.71

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Classic Wubbers Medium Flat Nose Pliers

G2-1237

G2-1237
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $27.97
Gold Club Price: $20.98

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20 X 15 Inch Padded Work Mat

MAT-620.00

MAT-620.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $14.95
Gold Club Price: $11.21

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Instructions

Step 1

Be sure to lay out your mat when cutting wire so you don't scratch up your work surface. Cut an 8" piece of wire and make a tiny loop at one end.

Kristal Wick's Dale Chihuly Color Inspiration Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Spirals, Wire Spiral, Spiral Wire Wrap, chihuly earrings

Step 2

Make 3 tightly wound rotations around the loop creating a tight spiral.

Step 3

Grip the wire with the flat nose pliers touching the edge of the spiral. Push the wire up against the pliers.

Step 4

Grip the spiral using your chain nose pliers and wrap the wire around the top of the spiral and down the side butting up against the wire.

Step 5

Grip the wire with the flat nose pliers touching the edge of the spiral. Push the wire up against the pliers.

Step 6

Push the wire up against the pliers.

Step 7

Push the wire around the top of the spiral wrap around the Wubbers pliers making a loop.

Step 8

Cut the wire where the loop end meets the wire and flatten using the flat nose pliers.

Step 9

Work harden and texture the earring form by hammering it on a bench block.

Step 10

Create crystal bead dangles by sliding a seed bead, crystal and seed bead onto a head pin and make a small loop at the top.

Step 11

Cut a 1" piece of chain and attach it to the crystal dangle.

Step 12

Detach 2 links (or as many as you wish) from the beaded chain and slip the chain dangle and earring base into the beaded chain open loop. Close the loop.

Step 13

Attach the top loop to an ear wire and repeat for the other earring.

Reviews

Kristal Wick

Internationally award winning designer, teacher and official Swarovski Instructor, she resides with her 2 puppies, Sparkle and Bling in beautiful Colorado. Kristal's fashion endeavors include designing & creating jewelry for the Jimmy Buffet Band backup singers & dancers; appearing numerous times on HGTV, PBS and JTV and teaching on cruise ships worldwide. The author of 4 books: Metal Clay 101 for Beaders, Foxy Epoxy, Fabulous Fabric Beads Sassy Silky Savvy; 2 DVDs: Mixed Media: Beaded Bracelets with Fiber Beads and Crystals, Resin, Wire Mixed Media: Jewelry Making with Handmade Beads, Crystals, Resin, and More! Past editor of BeadingDaily.com, her designs have been featured in over 85 publications. Kristal's jewelry has been represented in galleries spanning the globe including Santa Fe - Canyon Rd. Alaska, Cayman Islands, Italy, Germany & the Virgin Islands.