Simple Beaded Loop Earring Pattern

I'm on a beading kick lately... and decided to expand my design collection to earrings.  I wanted to make something quick, easy but eye-catching - and this is what I came up with.  You will need:

26 gauge artistic wire in matching color

8 lime 4mm bicone Swarovski crystals

14 lime 4mm bicone Swarovski crystals

4 aqua 6mm bicone Swarovski crystals

2 silver plated findings

2 silver plated "fish hook" earring findings

You can use any color combination of crystals - this just happened to be what I had on-hand that matched the wire I had... so - in other words - you can go crazy and make dozens of these with no problem using just your current supplies.

Cut a piece of wire about 6" long. String the finding and crystals on the wire in this pattern: 1 finding, 1 aqua 4mm, 1 lime, 1 aqua 4mm, 1 aqua 6mm, 1 aqua 4mm, 1 lime, 1 aqua 4mm, 1 lime, 1 aqua 4mm, 1 aqua 6mm, 1 aqua 4mm, 1 lime and 1 aqua 4mm. 

Bring the end of the wire around and back through the finding. Pull the wire tight so the crystals form a "hoop" below the finding.

 

Thread the 2 wire ends through the earring wire. Bend the 2 wires and wrap around the bottom of the earring. Continue wrapping the wire neatly around the top until you have formed a slight "ball" of wrapped wire. Slide the tightener down the earring. If necessary trim excess wire and tuck ends into wrapped wire ball to prevent scratching. 

  Place a drop of jeweler's glue or clear nail polish near the ends of the wire that are tucked into the wrapped wire ball as an added precaution against scratching.  Then go out and let them sparkle in the sun. 

I actually liked them so much - I made a bunch to use as shade pulls for my windows. - very pretty.

~ Dani

"Bond... HeatnBond...." TShirts, That Is!

I was working in my craft room the other day creating an egg for a class I'll be teaching in September.  As I was looking through the drawers of arts supplies that line the wall of my space, I came across a project I started and never finished.  We all have THOSE now don't we! - Admit it - come on - you know you do! 

Anyway, giving in to my need to do anything except what I'm supposed to do, I brought it out and decided to finish it.  What was it that so grabbed my attention you ask?  A shirt.... but not an ordinary shirt - nooo.  This is a shirt that I started decorating with handmade decals!  So out came the ironing board and the scissors and I put my mind to the task of completing it (at least until something else catches my attention!) 

This is a really fun, easy project to work on for any age - and with a lot of the schools on break - I thought it was a perfect project to share.  Enjoy!

You will need: Sharp scissors, Material with pattern you like, HeatnBond Iron On Adhesive (Ultrahold), Iron,
Ironing Board, fabric paint with a thin tip and a t-shirt of some kind.

There are 2 ways of making your own decals. First you use a large piece of the HeatnBond (the size of your fabric) and attach it to the fabric. Or second, cut small pieces of the adhesive paper, just a little bigger than the pattern you want to capture iron it on. Either way works great.  The second is the way I usually do it as it wastes less of the adhesive so you can make more decals.

Put the HeatnBond paper-side up on the material.  Hold the iron on the paper side of the adhesive for about 2 seconds to warm the adhesive. Glide your iron over the paper pressing down slightly.  Make sure to iron entire surface until the adhesive bonds to the fabric. Material will feel hot to the touch. Allow it to cool before cutting into pieces.

Cut out the patterns being careful to cut away whatever you don’t want included on your decal. Keep in mind – the more intricate the design – the more difficult cutting it out may be. You may want to keep a very thin border of fabric around your design as it is usually a good idea to seal the decal onto the shirt by sewing or outlining with fabric paint.

Place your new decals on the shirt in whatever decorative way you choose.  Peel the paper off the back.  Cover the decals and shirt with a lightweight piece of cloth or towel and gently iron until the adhesive bonds to the shirt.  Allow to cool, then outline with fabric paint and embellish with beads, more paint, washable glitter or anything else you might have handy.

~ Dani



Kick this process up a notch by printing your own artwork or photos onto iron-on material made for your ink jet printer!  Cut away the excess material to isolate areas of your artwork you like the best, then apply as any other iron-on to make cool T-shirts, totes or even dress up those Ked sneakers!
~ Diane