By Liz Welch

Materials Needed:

Turquoise and Mauve Friendly Plastic®
AMACO® WireForm® Brass Designer’s Mesh
Beads
Pliers
Earwires
Silicone glue

Step 1
From the Designer’s Mesh cut a strip 12cm x 5 cm (4 3/4″ x 2″); this should provide at least 16 long strands of wire in mesh piece.

Step 2
Fray both the short ends using pliers until there is only a small amount of mesh left in the middle measuring about 1.5cm (just over 1/2″) long. Cut in half lengthways making sure there are 8 long strands of wire in each piece.

Step 3
Heat a small piece of turquoise Friendly Plastic® (a bit wider than mesh area) on top of aluminum foil using heat gun or oven. When soft, position piece of mesh on top of plastic and push down; be careful to avoid touching plastic. Pick up foil and push up from underneath with fingers until warm plastic oozes through the holes in mesh.

Step 4
Use palette knife to ease excess plastic at sides over raw edges of the mesh, sealing them in.

Step 5
Heat a small square (0.5cm / less than 1/4″) of Mauve plastic with hot water method; position in middle of warm square of Turquoise. Use needle tool to drag in sides of the square to form a small flower; push a bead into center. (This may require tiny amount of glue to secure).

Step 6
Repeat steps 3 to 5 for other earring.

Step 7
Use pliers to twist all wires at one end of each earring into a tight single twist of wire. Twist other end into four twists. Bead and twist four strands as desired, eventually twisting four strands into two, then into one. Add a final bead; coil wire into a loop; push back up into the final bead. A tiny dab of glue will secure it.

Step 8
Coil the single twist of wire at the top of earring into a loop; twist to secure. Curl end onto back of the earrings; cover with small square Turquoise that’s already been heated.

Step 9
Finally, attach ear wires; open out loop on ear wire with pliers; thread through earring loop. Close securely.