Things You'll Need:
- Plain coffee mug of the desired size and color
- Several feet of 26 or 30 gauge steel wire
- Wire snips and round nose pliers
- Beads of your choosing (glass, stone and acrylic are best)
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
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Step 1
Make sure the mug is clean and dry before you start working.
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Step 2
Use the pliers to make a 3 loop coil in the starting end of the wire.
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Step 3
String enough beads onto the wire to go all the way around the mug.
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Step 4
Hold the coiled end under the handle, wrap the beaded wire around the mug, and bring the other end up through the coil and pull snug.
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Step 5
Repeat steps 3 and 4 as many times as you desire, always adding the new round on top of the last one. If the beads seem to be slipping, place a drop of hot glue on each side of the mug, under each round.
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Step 6
Now we'll move on to the handle. Wrap the wire around the handle, add a bead to it. Place a drop of glue in the center of the handle, push the bead into it, and quickly wrap the wire down and around the handle, coming back up on the starting side. Repeat this step until you have as many beads on the handle as you like. You can space them apart, or make them very close.
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Step 7
Snip the wire near the last bead, leaving a 1 inch tail. Coil this tail with the pliers, press it against the handle. Make sure the last bead is glued well.
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Step 8
That's it! You can experiment with different beads and wrapping styles once you get the hang of it. You can use the mugs for drinking, or turn them into cute plant pots. You can use this technique on wine glasses and vases too.
