Pamela Hawkins's Lovebird Necklace, Contemporary Wire Jewelry. Making Chain, Chain Making , Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Forging, Forging Jewelry, Jewelry Forging, Stamping, Stamps, Texturing. There are lots of parts to this necklace, but none of them are difficult.
Lovebird Necklace
by Pamela Hawkins
  • Category: Contemporary
  • Technique(s): Chain Making, Cutting, Forging, Stamping, Texturing
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
There are lots of parts to this necklace, but none of them are difficult. Just set aside some time to create the metal pieces, then the chain. And add the beautiful verdigris patina to it all!

Materials

24 Gauge 0.020 Dead Soft Copper Sheet Metal - 6x6 Inch
MET-705.24
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $6.93
  • Gold Club Price: $5.20
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16 Gauge Round Half Hard Copper Wire
H11-16H
  • Lesson Quantity: 2.00 feet
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 5FT
  • Price: $4.37
  • Gold Club Price: $3.28
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Vintaj® Patina for color-Jade and Verdigris
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Vintaj® Small Bird charm
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Vintaj® 20 - 5.25 Jump rings, 1 - 7.25 jump ring, 1 – 12mm Lobster clasp
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Vintaj® 10 in. CH0007 - 2.9x4.3mm Etched Cable Chain
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
20 Gauge Round Half Hard Copper Wire
H11-20H
  • Lesson Quantity: 3.00 inches
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
  • Price: $0.41
  • Gold Club Price: $0.31
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10 x 15mm glass bird bead
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Turquoise 11/0 seed beads
  • Lesson Quantity: 2.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
African Turquoise 10mm Round Beads - 8 Inch Strand
A1-736
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $10.57
  • Gold Club Price: $7.93
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Tools

Dead Blow Brass Hammer - 2 lb. Brass Hammer
HAM-456.20
  • HAM-456.20
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Price: $32.97
  • Gold Club Price: $24.73
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Lightweight Ball Peen Hammer with Wooden Handle
G3-24
  • G3-24
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $3.57
  • Gold Club Price: $2.68
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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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Chain Nose Wire Plier
G2-508
  • G2-508
  • 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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Metal Cutting Shears
SHR-536.00
  • SHR-536.00
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $14.97
  • Gold Club Price: $11.23
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1/8 Letter Punch Set
PUN-105.80
  • PUN-105.80
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $13.97
  • Gold Club Price: $10.48
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Variable Speed Rotary Tool with Flexible Shaft
G26-51
  • G26-51
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $49.97
  • Gold Club Price: $37.48
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Euro Tool Metal Hole Punch Pliers, 1.8 Millimeters
PLR-133.50
  • PLR-133.50
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $14.97
  • Gold Club Price: $11.23
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Multi-Size Wrap 'N' Tap Pliers, Small Barrels
PLR-746.02
  • PLR-746.02
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $29.97
  • Gold Club Price: $22.48
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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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Instructions
Step 1
Using metal cutting shears, cut a 2" x ¾" piece of copper sheet. Be careful, as the copper can be sharp. Use the hammer to round the bottom slightly. Cut the little corner tips off at the top. If the edges are curled, flip the piece over and "lightly" flatten with hammer. If you would like any texture, add it now with a texture hammer.
Pamela Hawkins's Lovebird Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Forging, Forging Jewelry, Jewelry Forging, Stamping, Stamps, Texturing, cut the metal
Step 2
Use the fine sanding pad or a Dremel to lightly sand the edges and remove any sharp areas.
Pamela Hawkins's Lovebird Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Forging, Forging Jewelry, Jewelry Forging, Stamping, Stamps, Texturing, sand the edges
Step 3
Letters: Pick the word you would like to use. Arrange the stamp letters in order as you will use them. Use a regular hammer to stamp letters: While holding the stamp vertically, bring hammer straight down and stamp with only one hard whack. More than one whack can give you ghost images. If any edges of the piece are curled after stamping, lightly tap with hammer to flatten.
Pro Tip: You can color in punched letters with a sharpie, acrylic paints, or any other coloring that will stay in the indentations.
Pamela Hawkins's Lovebird Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Forging, Forging Jewelry, Jewelry Forging, Stamping, Stamps, Texturing, stamp the metal
Step 4
Using the hole punch, put two holes in the top left and right, and one in the bottom center. Use sanding pad or Dremel tool to remove any burrs. Set aside.
Pamela Hawkins's Lovebird Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Forging, Forging Jewelry, Jewelry Forging, Stamping, Stamps, Texturing, punch holes
Step 5
Using wire cutters, cut twelve 1.5-inch pieces of 16-ga. wire. Make sure each end has a flush cut. Using the center step of a small Wrap and Tap tool, create a loop. Referring to the photo, hold the tool with the plastic flat side towards yourself and place the very tip of the wire in the middle. Place your thumb on the bottom part of the wire and turn the tool away from yourself while holding the wire until the tip of the wire meets the other side, making your first large loop.
Flip wire piece to the other side and using round nose pliers, make a small loop. Create 11 more.
Pamela Hawkins's Lovebird Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Forging, Forging Jewelry, Jewelry Forging, Stamping, Stamps, Texturing, use the rap n tap
Step 6
Place a connector on the bench block.Using the flat side of a ball peen hammer, flatten the connector, and then using the small side, hammer to create texture dimples. Repeat to flatten and texture each connector. If the loops open up a little, just use the chain nose pliers to close again. Note: you can see on the left, the textured side, and on the back is flat from the wire touching the bench block. This is OK.
Pamela Hawkins's Lovebird Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Forging, Forging Jewelry, Jewelry Forging, Stamping, Stamps, Texturing, hammer the links
Pamela Hawkins's Lovebird Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Forging, Forging Jewelry, Jewelry Forging, Stamping, Stamps, Texturing, connector links
Step 7:
Apply the patina
Using the Vintaj® patina colors, use a Q-tip or your finger to rub color across the whole tag front and back. If you want just color in the word indentations, then use a clean Q-tip to remove the color you like. If you want more color left on the entire piece, you can let it dry for a few minutes, then use a sanding pad to remove patina to expose the metal. If you use a sanding pad, the metal will be a little brighter; if you use acetone (nail polish remover) with a Q-tip, the metal will retain its natural patina and stay darker. Using the Q-tip, apply patina to all components you have created so far. Set aside for now.
o achieve a multi-layered look, apply 3-4 colors on top of each other and let dry. Using one of the removal methods, remove what you like to expose the metal underneath. As you do this, other colors will come through as well. You can't ruin this-if the color is not what you expected, you can still layer on more color and remove again.
Pamela Hawkins's Lovebird Necklace - Apply the patina, Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Forging, Forging Jewelry, Jewelry Forging, Stamping, Stamps, Texturing, add patina
Step 8:
Create the dangle
Using the 20-ga. wire, create a wrapped loop. Using chain nose pliers, tuck in the wire end. Stack on a seed bead, a bird glass bead, and a seed bead and wrap another loop into the top of the stone bead. Set aside.
Step 9:
Construction
Arrange all components on flat surface. This is where you might add other beads or charms if you have them. Once you have something you like, use two chain nose pliers to open the small jump rings and begin connecting components. Remember that not all components will have the patina at this time. That is OK.

Add 5 inches of chain to each side using the small jump rings. Add lobster clasp and large jump ring at back.
Step 10:
Final details
At this point, you can now add more patina. Refer back to step 7 in the Applying Patina section to now lightly add color to chain, charms, jump rings, and even to touches of the wire on the dangle. Let set for 24 hours.

With a soft cloth, add a little Renaissance Wax to seal. Let dry and then lightly buff.