Things You'll Need
2 cut clasps, floor brads or horseshoe nails
Copper, silver or black steel wire
Hammer
Soldering iron, silver bearing solder
Parachute cord, twisted cloth, leather thong or braided leather
Bead tips and cones, jump rings and lobster or barrel clasps
Glass, wood or crystal beads (optional)
Faith-inspired jewelry items sell well at church bazaars, fairs and gospel festivals. Wire-wrapped crosses are relatively simple to design and require only a moderate amount of soldering skill to make. These crosses can be attached to key chains, lanyard necklaces, ID badges, bracelets, earring hooks and chains.
Step 1
Lay two cut clasps, brads or horseshoe nails across each other so that at least 1/2-inch of the vertical nail is above the horizontal one. Cut clasps are squared and have a blunt top as described by Dezine Holdings Limited, at Interior Dezine.
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Step 2
Join the two nails together permanently at the cross point using silver bearing solder. Preheat the soldering gun, and coat the tip completely in solder for best results. Aaron Cake's soldering tutorial states, "...If you leave any part of the tip uncovered, it will tend to collect flux residue and will not conduct heat very well..."
Step 3
Determine how much of each nail you wish to wrap and which part of the cross, if any, will remain open. Decide whether you will use copper, black steel or silver wire to wrap the cross. If you wish to add glass, wooden or crystal beads to your cross before wrapping, slide them into place and secure them with a dab of clear instant adhesive.
Step 4
Begin at the outer end of each arm of the cross. Pass your chosen wire under the cross and wrap around the end one or two turns, taking care to butt the wires against each other each pass rather than crossing them over one another. Use needle nose pliers to twist the end of the wire tight against the end of the cross.
Step 5
Continue until you have wrapped as much of that arm as you desire, taking care not to cross the wire when you begin the next pass. Chuck and Kim Blair, owners of DC-Nailbenders state, "...the trick to wrapping your wire tight...is to let the wire roll off the previously wrapped wire...keep steady pressure downward toward each previously wrapped wire, while letting the wire slip through your fingers."
Step 6
Wrap the end of the wire around the cross piece when you are satisfied with your wrapping. Use needle nose pliers to tighten the wire firmly against the nail.
Step 7
Wrap the top of the cross from the center point to the end of the nail. Make a loop of wire at that end so that you can use the cross as a pendant.
Step 8
Cut parachute cord, twisted cloth, braided leather or filigree wire to make a necklace or bracelet with the wire wrapped cross as a pendant. Knot the ends of the cord, or attach bead tips or bead cones, jump rings and lobster or barrel clasps.
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