Chain, Jewelry Wire & Gemstones Earrings Jewelry Making Project -- Page 3

Step 8:  At this point, we want to make a loop around peg 3 just like we did around peg 2.  Bend the wire around the 3/4" Super Peg and bend it back against peg 3 as shown at right.

Step 9:  Remove the wire from your jig and using your Fine Step Jaw Pliers, make a loop in the wire at the point where peg 3 was.  At this point your wire component should appear as shown at left.

Step 10:  Using your flush cutter cut the excess wire and with your bent chain nose pliers, close that final loop in your wire component. 

Step 11:  As this point, we need to convert both end loops from "P" type loops into "eye" type loops.  We do this with our round nose pliers.  The technique for this is shown here.  It is simply a matter of inserting the tips of our round nose pliers into the loop and gripping the wire and bending it so that the loop is centered above the rest of the wire.  After converting the loops your wire component should appear as shown at left.

Step 12:  The wire component after step 11 is essentially flat, with all three loops laying flat on your work surface.   Now we need to make it three dimensional.  We need to grasp the loops made at pegs 1 and 3 and bend them 90 degrees.  Grasp the loop with your bent chain nose pliers, while you hold the rest of the wire component with your fingers on your non-dominant hand then rotate your pliers 90 degrees or 1/4 turn.  You will need to rotate one loop clockwise and the other counter-clockwise so that when you are done, the openings in the loops will be on the same side of the wire component.  This completes the top wire component.  Use a little hand finishing to bend the wire component around your 3/4" Super Peg and remove any irregularities in the shape of the piece, then set this component aside. 

Step 13:  Now we are ready to begin making the bottom wire component.  The finished peg pattern for this piece is shown upside down on our WigJig Centaur at left.  We will begin making this piece with only pegs 1 and 2 in our jig, adding a peg as we go.  We will describe this process beginning with step 14.  We will also be removing our wire component from the jig and flipping it over after making almost every loop.  We do this because the finished wire component will be only 2 layers of wire using this technique instead of starting low on one side and growing one layer with each loop in the wire.  Begin making the bottom wire component by straightening a segment of 4 1/2 inches of wire before you cut it from your spool or coil.  Then cut the wire 4 1/2 inches long and make a loop in one end of the wire using your fine step jaw pliers.