How to Make a Butterfly for Wire Jewelry

Jewelry and butterflies are among a girl's favorite things, and now you can combine the two with your creative skills to craft a wire butterfly for your handmade jewelry. A simply butterfly is easy to make, and can be used for necklaces, earrings, bracelets and more. Once you have mastered this technique, you can elaborate for your own unique butterfly creations.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wire cutters
• 4 inch piece of wire (24 gauge or less)
• Needle nose pliers

1. Use your wire cutter to cut a piece of wire about 4 inches long. Once you have mastered this butterfly technique, you can make larger or smaller butterflies as desired. Make sure that your wire is 24 gauge or less, as a butterfly requires thick, sturdy wire.

2. Grip the end of the wire at about the middle of your needle nose pliers and begin curving the wire around the nose, guiding the wire with your thumb. Continue wrapping until you have made a complete circle with the wire.

3. Remove your wire loop from the nose of the pliers and grip the wire again just below the loop. Be sure to grip the wire with the same part of your pliers so that the loops are the same size. Make a second circle, this time curling the wire around the pliers in the opposite direction. Remove the circle from the pliers and press both loops gently with your pliers to even the wires.

4. Repeat the same loops on the opposite end of the wire to create the second pair of wings. Find the center of the wire between the wings and grip with the tip of your pliers. Use your fingers to bring both sides of the wire together and twist 3 or 4 times to join the loose ends of the wire.

5. Finish your wire butterfly by carefully bending the wings up along either edge of the twisted wire, which becomes your butterfly's body. You can thread the butterfly onto your jewelry creations using the small loop at the top of the twisted portion, or through a wing, depending on your taste.