https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/cat-ring • Posted by GMC Group
Wire alone can make the best jewelry; simply take two gauges of wire and create a cute, quirky ring. 18 gauge (SWG 19, 1mm) wire would work but it will be harder to form into the initial shape as thicker wire is stiffer to start with.
Wire alone can make the best jewelry; simply take two gauges of wire and create a cute, quirky ring. 18 gauge (SWG 19, 1mm) wire would work but it will be harder to form into the initial shape as thicker wire is stiffer to start with.
Take the 20 gauge wire and find the center; it doesn’t have to be exact. Hold the wire in chain-nose pliers about halfway down the jaws and bend the wire up each side of the jaws in the same direction to make a square “U” shape.
Move the pliers so the jaws are gripping one side of the “U”, holding the wire right at the handle end in the jaws. Bend the wire end to a right angle against the pliers. Repeat for the other side.
Again move the pliers to the end of the wire, holding against the bend you made in step 2. Hold the wire in the jaws up at the handle end and bend the wire against the pliers so you make what looks like a step. Look at the photo here to check you are bending the wire in the right direction. Repeat for the other side.
Looking at the wire, you should have six bends. Counting from the left, hold the wire in the point of the chain-nose pliers next to bend two and push it past the right angle to make a triangle shape (like a cat’s ear). Now count to bend five and do the same. This should have pushed the outside wire to sit in line with the wire in-between the ears.
Take a small strip of masking tape and tape the wire piece to the ring mandrel, in-between the ears. This will keep the wire steady as you bend it around the mandrel.
Bend the wire ends once each side around the mandrel and back to the opposite side to the ears on the mandrel, then twist the wires together a couple of times. This is just to hold the wire in place so don’t worry if it doesn’t look neat.
Take the ring off the mandrel and check you are happy with the shape.
Take the piece of 26 gauge wire and, starting on the outside of one ear, wrap the wire around the ring shank four times on the outside of the ear. Then take the 26 gauge wire through the ear and continue to wrap it along the ring. Keep wrapping in between the ears and inside the second ear, then finally wrap four times on the outside of the second ear. Use the side cutters to cut off any excess wire, making sure the cut is on the outside of the ring so it doesn’t catch on the skin.
Untwist the wires on the ring shank and snip these ends off flat against where the 26 gauge wire wrapping starts. Add a tiny drop of glue to the very ends to hold the wires in place.