DIY Christmas | Wire Word Decorations

10 more sleeps to go!

A while ago now, I had the opportunity to try our some wire word jewellery and I loved it.  I really wanted to try the craft again and these pretty decorations were the perfect excuse.



| WHAT YOU NEED |

Wire / Pliers / Template

| HOW YOU MAKE THEM |

Start by making yourself some templates of the word/s you want to create and try to ensure it is of the size and font style you want to recreate.  Take a piece of string and use it to measure the amount of wire required.  Add on around 5cm - 10cm extra length for contingency.

If you would like to create similar decorations to those I'm making today, there is a template for you to use at the end of this post.  If you create your own template, be mindful of the size as the smaller the decoration, the more intricate the wire work.  These are perfect for hanging on your tree, but you could make a real impact with a thicker wire and in a larger size.

The wire I have used is 0.8mm: thin enough to shape easily, but with enough strength to withstand some wear and tear without losing its shape.
For the cursive font, I've used round and flat jewellery pliers and if you are in the market, you can pick up a great set of jewellery pliers from HobbyCraft that will see your through any similar wire DIY.

Start by creating a loop at the wire end (this will later be your hanging) with some round nosed pliers and begin to shape your wire from this point.  Place your wire over the template to help guide where the required bends are and where you need to begin shaping. 

As each bend or twist was made, or each letter completed, I placed the word back on to the template to ensure I was keeping on track

...and for more difficult letters (such as 'o'), I pretty much kept my wire over the template and moved myself around, rather than the wire, to keep on track.

Continue your word in stages, completing each letter and don't worry if half way through you feel you've just made a messy line - I pretty much felt this until the end too.

When you reach the end of your letter, create a small loop to act as a second hanging, or trim the end.

Add a length of ribbon or string to hang, use as a present tag or tie - you can use these as embellishments to almost anything.

There is also the option with this DIY to add beads to your wire as you go, either to cover all of the wire or just sections.  Last year, I followed a JewelleryMaker wire word DIY and later, created a wire bunny ring that required precision and control to ensure the wire didn't kink or bend (I have yet to achieve this - but I think this is a case of practice).  As beads are covering the wire, it gives much more flexibility for trial and error!

Of all the DIYs I have to share for Christmas, this is the most involved - but the finished decoration actually looks like much more time and cost is required than the reality, so do give it a go and don't forget to tag me on Instagram if you do!

| TEMPLATE |

(right-click and 'save' as to print)

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