Guest Blogger Week 48 Dream Design Dude

I would like to say a huge welcome

to Ray

 from Dream Design Dude Ray Booth

These can be made in any crystal beads to match your favorite outfits. If you would like them longer, simply add another wreath. It only takes 40 minutes for a novice complete a set of these earrings, and then you get faster at it. so why wouldn't you have several pair.

To knock out a pair on Saturday afternoon, to wear tonight, with that new frock you bought this morning, is just the ticket !

After making your first pair, if you're feeling inspired and ambitious, make a bracelet of 5-6 wreaths with a ring & toggle clasp; or a necklace with 12 or so wreaths. Do the math to determine how many are needed to fit you. TIP: don't make more than 2 wreaths a day, or you'll have sore fingers.




Crochet Wreath & Pearl earrings
A photo tutorial
© Ray Booth 2012
You may make as many of these as you wish for yourself and as special gifts. However
this pattern may not be used for commercial purposes.
While the original design is for Pearls, it is not essential to use pearls.
On my website, these earrings are to be found in several media.

To see them for inspiration click here

Intermediate skill level. The pattern is simple, but this project can’t be classified as

easy. It’s not meant for beginners. As you will be working with wire, it is important to

work with high tension. To some extent the stiffness of the wire forces that.

Requirements:

· Ear safe hooks, locking back type

· 24 gauge Designer wire or Dead Soft Sterling Silver

· Jump rings (4)

· 12mm Pearls

· Seed beads, Size 12, 1.8mm diam. Mirrored glass

· 1.75mm Steel hook

Working directly from the spool of wire anchored by a axle see Pic 1.

Load the wire with 72 beads. This is enough for one earring.

Leaving a 2” tail, tie your starting knot see Pics 2 to 5.

Keep the beads to the back of your work, this later becomes the Front of the finished

piece. Pic 6 shows first stitch ready to be made.

Round 1; (* Slide 3 beads up to the hook; ch 1;) repeat from * 10 more times; Slide

3 beads up to the hook; and join the circle, working into the free loop of the first st, on

the inside of the circle. [12 sts]

Stitches of the second round need to be worked one loop at a time, not 2 loops

together, as it’s too hard to do that way. You’ll just make sore fingers.

Rnd 2; (Slide 3 beads to hook; Sl st, in next st;) repeat around. [12 sts]

As the very first stitch is worked into twice, the last stitch creates an obvious loop,

from which the wreath will be suspended. See Pic 8.

To finish off, enlarge loop on the hook after the last stitch, and cut it 2” from the

wreath. This becomes the second tail, with which the pearl must be securely attached.

See Pic 7.

Weave these two wires in opposite directions through 3 stitches ending with them

projecting from the Front of the wreath. See Pic 7. These wires must be centered and

directly opposite each other.

Straighten out any kinks in wires and impale the pearl on one of them.

From here on, take care not to scratch your pearl.

     Bend the wire projecting above the pearl at a 90° angle toward the other wire. Then

bend it at the base under the pearl, so that it can be pushed down through the wreath

immediately beside the standing wire.

     Now pass the standing wire through the pearl, and the wreath, in a similar way.

Tighten these wires adjusting the position of the pearl so the drill holes are obscured

and gently work the wreath up around the pearl so that it nestles within the wreath.

Weave the wire ends through the wreath to the front and finish at the Back. Flush cut

these ends to be invisible and see that they won’t catch on anything or stab a finger.

Then simply attach the jump rings to the wreaths and add the ear wires.

You will now have a fine pair of earrings with a classical look.

Pics 9 and 10 show these ready to be assembed and the finished earrings.

As my sister says; “What Girl doesn’t like Pearls ?”
Enjoy your new earrings !


Website

Ravelry

I would like to say a huge thank you to Ray!

The earrings are beautiful

and I am sure you'll be wanting to make a pair!

Please say thank you to Ray and visit his sites!