Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin, Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments. Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry. A lot of folks like a pin that can be versatile.
Flower Hat Pin
by Tracey McKenzie
  • Category: Non-Jewelry Items
  • Technique(s): Wrapping
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
A lot of folks like a pin that can be versatile. It is difficult to find hat pins these days, so I decided to make my own! This design can be also good for woven and crocheted scarves (but not silk ones as the wire is rather heavy) and as a knit shawl pin. Try variations if you would like, using smaller-gauge wire and your own combination of beads and maybe add flower and leaf-shaped components!

Materials

16 Gauge Square Half Hard .925 Sterling Silver Wire
H8-16SQH
  • Lesson Quantity: 4.75 inches
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
  • Price: $9.42
  • Gold Club Price: $7.07
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18 Gauge Square Half Hard .925 Sterling Silver Wire
H8-18SQH
  • Lesson Quantity: 9.50 inches
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
  • Price: $5.54
  • Gold Club Price: $4.16
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26 Gauge Round Dead Soft .925 Sterling Silver Wire
H8-26D
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 feet
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
  • Price: $0.71
  • Gold Club Price: $0.53
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18 Gauge Half Round Half Hard .925 Sterling Silver Wire
H8-18HRH
  • Lesson Quantity: 6.00 inches
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
  • Price: $2.22
  • Gold Club Price: $1.66
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10mm Foil Round Purple/White Gold, Size 10mm
A3-216
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $2.57
  • Gold Club Price: $1.93
Out of Stock
Jade 10mm Round Beads - 8 Inch Strand
A1-645
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $11.37
  • Gold Club Price: $8.53
Out of Stock
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Tools

Flat Nose Wire Plier
G2-506
  • G2-506
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $32.95
  • Gold Club Price: $24.71
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Round Nose Wire Plier
G2-507
  • G2-507
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $32.95
  • Gold Club Price: $24.71
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C.H.P Milano Italian Flush Cutter, 5 1/2 Inches
PLR-487.00
  • PLR-487.00
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $14.97
  • Gold Club Price: $11.23
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Chasing Hammer - Flat Faced with Polished Wooden Handle - Pack of 1
G3-13
  • G3-13
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $11.97
  • Gold Club Price: $8.98
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Bench Block Helper with Steel and Nylon Blocks
DAP-500.30
  • DAP-500.30
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $28.95
  • Gold Club Price: $21.71
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8 Piece Mandrel Set - From 1/16 Inch to 5/16 Inch
G7-38
  • G7-38
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $7.97
  • Gold Club Price: $5.98
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Instructions
Step 1
Straighten, measure and cut the needed 16-gauge wire. Using the largest jaw section on round nose pliers, make an "eye" at one end.
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Using round nose pliers to make loop
Step 2
Place the eye on the small mandrel (so the eye is perpendicular to the mandrel) and bend the wire around the mandrel to form a shepherd's hook. This will become the pin. Set this aside.
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Using small mandrel to form
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Using small mandrel to form
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Formed square wire
Step 3
Making the leaves: Straighten, measure and cut two pieces of 18-gauge square half hard wire, each 4 3/4 inch (12cm) long. Find and mark the center of each wire. Use flat nose pliers to make a 45° bend at each mark.
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Using Flat nose pliers to bend 45 degree.
Step 4
Using flat nose pliers, and the ratio of 8mm for the longer segments and 3mm for the shorter ones, create the leaf points one each side of the center bend.
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Using flat nose pliers to form leaf
Step 5
After you have made the leaf points on both leaves, use your fingers to gently curve each leaf and point (the bottom wires will cross over one another). Tweak your leaves to attain the look you desire.
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Using fingers and flat nose pliers to form leaf
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Using fingers and flat nose pliers to form leaf
Step 6
When you are happy with the shape of your leaves, where the wires cross, use flat nose pliers to bend one of the side wires straight.
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Using flat nose pliers to straighten wire
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Using flat nose pliers to straighten wire
Step 7
Bend the other wire so it crosses the now straight wire, at a 90° angle. Continue bending this wire around the straight stem, wrapping it twice and then trim and tuck the end. Repeat on the second leaf.
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Using flat nose pliers to make 90 degree angle.
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Wrapping wire twice
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Wire wrap second leaf.
Step 8
Use a ball peen or embossing hammer to texture both leaves as much as you want. Do not hammer the stems! When you are happy with the look, reshape your leaves as necessary.
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Using ball peen or embossing hammer to texture
Step 9
Now it is time to attach the leaves to the shepherd's hook/pin. Each pin will turn out differently. First you need to think about how and where you would like your leaves and flower to be placed, keeping in mind that you do not want the flower wraps to show!
To attach a leaf: From the leaf connection point measure down the stem about 10 mm and make a 90° bend to one side. This will eventually go through the eye on the shepherd's hook.
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Using flat nose pliers to bend square wire
Step 10
From the connection point, use 18-gauge half round wire to begin a wrap below the leaf connection point and wrap down the stem 4 or 5 times to show. Insert the bent stem through the eye and then bend the stem around the eye. Repeat the procedure with the second leaf, leaving the stem a tad longer than the first leaf. Use the 18-gauge half round to wrap them tightly together.
Pro Tip: Tip: If your leaves feel a bit loose, don't panic! When you "sew" in your beaded flower it will all firm up nicely.
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Use the 18-gauge half round wire
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Use the 18-gauge half round wire
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Use the 18-gauge half round wire
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Use the 18-gauge half round wire
Step 11
Creating the flower: Attach one end of the 26-gauge wire to the eye of the shepherd's hook, wrapping it tightly around the eye twice.
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Attaching 26-gauge wire
Step 12
Slide your first bead onto the 26-gauge wire, the one that will be the center bead. Keep the bead hole positioned so it cannot be seen from the front, and wrap the wire back through the eye.
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Adding beads onto the 26-gauge wire
Step 13
When the wire comes back through the eye to the front, add the second bead, or the first "petal" bead. Continue sewing petal beads around the center bead, securing each bead one-at-a-time, remembering to go back through each one at least once during the entire process.
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry,  Adding beads onto the 26-gauge wire
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry,  Adding beads onto the 26-gauge wire
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry,  Adding beads onto the 26-gauge wire
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry,  Adding beads onto the 26-gauge wire
Step 14
Tweak the beads so they resemble a flower and reposition the leaves if necessary. Now use a sharp pair of angle flush cutters to make an extremely angled cut across the very base of the shepherd's hook, and use an emery board to remove any burrs. The pin is now complete!
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Forming flower and leaves
Tracey McKenzie's Flower Hat Pin - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Forming flower and leaves