How to Make Celtic Jewelry
Jewelry inspired by the designs of the Celts, a group of native peoples inhabiting the British Isles in the centuries before Christ, is called Celtic jewelry. Although the Celts were comprised a number of peoples, including the Cornish and Scots, the term Celtic jewelry is often associated with the Irish. Typical Celtic designs are complex and abstract, with interlaced crescents, spirals and knots.
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Things You'll Need
- Patterns to copy
- Graph paper
- Round nose pliers or jig
- Copper, bronze or silver wire
- Wire cutters
- Chain nose pliers
- Beads, gems or stones to adorn your jewelry
- Metal clasps
Instructions
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Begin Making Celtic Wire Jewelry
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1
Look at jewelry patterns and decide what style you want to follow. You may choose to begin with wire designs, which are less difficult than metalworking. To get a list of fairly easy projects to start with, use a book like "Wire and Bead Celtic Jewelry: 35 Quick and Stylish Projects" by Linda Jones (see Resources below).
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2
Map out the design you want to use on graph paper or with your jig, a pegged tool you can use to guide your wire and keep distances and curves accurate.
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3
Select a wire gauge appropriate for the type of jewelry you want to make. For example, a brooch or wire pendant would call for a thicker, lower gauge wire, while a necklace, bracelet or ring would need a thinner, higher gauge.
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4
Measure out a length of wire from your wire spool and carefully cut it with the wire cutters. The length of wire you cut will depend on what type and size of jewelry you want to make. You can find charts online to help you select the length of wire you need for bracelets, necklaces or different-sized brooches.
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5
Grasp the wire in your left hand (for right-handers) with your chain nose pliers.
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6
Use your round nose pliers to bend the wire into the desired shape.
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7
Bend the wire with the tip of your round nose pliers to make smaller loops. Bend the wire further back for larger ones.
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8
Fold the wire around beads, gems or stones to secure them onto your jewelry.
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9
Switch to chain nose pliers to bend wire at angles instead of curves.
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10
Finish bracelets, anklets or necklaces with metal clasps, or bend the wire at each end to form a hook. You can also bend the wire at one end and loop it at the other to form a hook and eye closure.
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Tips & Warnings
When starting out, try your patterns on bronze or copper wire, which is less expensive to replace than silver.
Always cut wire a little longer (1 to 2 inches) than you think you'll need.
