A while back I made some bead and wire decorations and I thought I would share a tutorial for how to make the heart shapes. These would make sweet valentine’s gifts and decorations. You could use any colour of wire and beads and mix the colours if you like but I have made single colour hearts in red and blue.

Equipment & materials

wire – 1mm & fine (I used 0.315mm)

beads in a range of sizes

wire cutters/sharp scissors

wire winder/narrow knitting needle

ribbon

Technique

Cut approximately 35cm of the 1mm wire using the wire cutters (or sharp scissors).

Thread the larger beads onto the wire.

When you you have added the number of beads you want (I used seven) shape the wire into a circle.

Twist the wires together to close the circle and form a hanging loop.

Then shape the circle into a heart by squeezing the wire into a point at the bottom of the circle and making a dip at the top.

Next thread some smaller beads onto about 20cm of the fine wire.

Wrap the fine wire around the heart shape starting at the hanging loop and working your way round. To stop the fine wire tangling wrap the long end round your fingers and feed it out as you move round the heart.

Distribute the beads around the shape and use the fine wire to secure the larger beads by wrapping the wire around them. Finish back at the hanging loop by wrapping the fine wire several times around.

Next create a spring of about 20cm of the fine wire using the wire winder or a fine knitting needle.

Wrap this around the heart shape in a similar way to the fine wire with small beads, be careful not to stretch out the spring coils too much.

Finally attach the ribbon to the hanging loop and your heart is complete.

Happy making and Happy Valentine’s Day!