Introduction and Materials
Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey has a spooky or Gothic twist to the plot. So, when I witnessed how these Alexanderite Czech beads eerily turned from pale purple to icy blue under white light, I thought these would be perfect to use in these earrings.
You will need the following tools and equipment:
2 - 6mm Alexanderite Czech beads
2 - 4mm Alexanderite Czech beads
4 Sterling head pins
2 Sterling ear hooks
4 inches of 22-Gauge round wire
About 2 inch of link chain
Wire cutters
Chain-nosed pliers
Round-nosed pliers
Nylon-nosed pliers
Jeweler's file
Cut Chain
1. Start by using wire cutters to cut the chain into two pieces so that each is about 1 inch in length.
Add Bead
2. Slip one 6mm bead onto one of the head pins, and use chain-nosed pliers to bend the pin over 90 degrees.
Attach Chain
3. Wrap the bent part around the nose of your round-nose pliers to form a large loop (which is teh beginning of a wrapped loop).
4. Slip this loop around the link of one end of the chain.
Finish Wire Wrap
5. Close up the wrapped loop, and use wire cutters to trim off any excess head pin.
Attach Wire
6. Now cut off about 2 inches of wire, and file both ends of the wire.
7. Make another wrapped loop, and again, before wrapping it closed, insert the other end of the chain through this wire loop.
8. Slip the 4mm bead onto the wire, and start a wrapped loop.
9. Slip the ear hook onto the loop. (The Eurowires I used didn't open, so it was important to remember to slip the ear hooks on at this point.)
10. Now repeat all the above steps to make a duplicate earring.
Catherine Morland, the heroine of Northanger Abbey, had a vivid imagination. I think she would have enjoyed wearing these earrings that have a simple elegance to them, but which also have a spooky secret about them.
Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey has a spooky or Gothic twist to the plot. So, when I witnessed how these Alexanderite Czech beads eerily turned from pale purple to icy blue under white light, I thought these would be perfect to use in these earrings.
You will need the following tools and equipment:
2 - 6mm Alexanderite Czech beads
2 - 4mm Alexanderite Czech beads
4 Sterling head pins
2 Sterling ear hooks
4 inches of 22-Gauge round wire
About 2 inch of link chain
Wire cutters
Chain-nosed pliers
Round-nosed pliers
Nylon-nosed pliers
Jeweler's file
Cut Chain
1. Start by using wire cutters to cut the chain into two pieces so that each is about 1 inch in length.
Add Bead
2. Slip one 6mm bead onto one of the head pins, and use chain-nosed pliers to bend the pin over 90 degrees.
Attach Chain
3. Wrap the bent part around the nose of your round-nose pliers to form a large loop (which is teh beginning of a wrapped loop).
4. Slip this loop around the link of one end of the chain.
Finish Wire Wrap
5. Close up the wrapped loop, and use wire cutters to trim off any excess head pin.
Attach Wire
6. Now cut off about 2 inches of wire, and file both ends of the wire.
7. Make another wrapped loop, and again, before wrapping it closed, insert the other end of the chain through this wire loop.
8. Slip the 4mm bead onto the wire, and start a wrapped loop.
9. Slip the ear hook onto the loop. (The Eurowires I used didn't open, so it was important to remember to slip the ear hooks on at this point.)
10. Now repeat all the above steps to make a duplicate earring.
Catherine Morland, the heroine of Northanger Abbey, had a vivid imagination. I think she would have enjoyed wearing these earrings that have a simple elegance to them, but which also have a spooky secret about them.