Turquoise beaded ring

Today's creative challenge has been all about pushing the wrapping a bit further, and this ring has certainly taught me many things today! In a good way:)

I saved this picture ages ago on pinterest and posted it on Facebook about february time with lots of oohs and aahs:) I just loved this ring. The silver, the beads and wrapping - just gorgeous! I certainly never thought I could make one myself at that time. But as my collection of wrapped jewellery images grew, I realised that maybe, if I started to learn some jewellery skills, it might just be possible, maybe!

Recently my lovely friend Jane, gave me the opportunity to attend a sea glass ring course at her studio/gallery. It was a huge crash course in silversmithing techniques for me and I made a complete ring from scratch  - soldering, setting the stone, everything. In one day I had a ring - a properly made ring - and from that day I've looked at jewellery making as much more of an achieveable thing. (more on that course soon!)

So today, as I was thinking about what I'd be inspired to make, someone 'liked' that very ring on my facebook page. And I thought, why not? You've just started with wire wrapping yesterday and this would be a perfect way to take those skills further today - and it looks a small project:)

Oh the wise words of my friend Marilyn only a few days ago!! She said that sometimes the smallest projects can take the longest time. Well, today this little ring as proved that very point but I have learned SO much.

I decided as I've no silver anyway that this could be a copper ring to go with my spiral bracelet of yesterday. Then I spied a lovely turquoise stone I've been meaning to make something with but didn't know what and thought, a-ha! Turquoise, amethyst pearlescent glass beads, copper and swirls. Perfect!

In fact I've nearly made two rings today as my first one helped me realise the surrounding wire wasn't strong enough for wrapping, also that shaping the wire into a ring shape with spirals first wasn't the easiest way to wrap and bead the ring. In fact, the wire got so tangled around the spirals it became a nightmare and my beautiful ring shape, spirals and all, got rather squashed. So, plan B! I treated it more like a flat project to be shaped after the stone and the first lot of beads had been set in place. Only then did I curve it into a ring shape so I could start letting the wrapping create and hold the form. And it worked!! Happy dance!

I've noticed today and yesterday that the practical working out takes more time than the actual wrapping. After I got this beginning part in place it grew quite quickly and I was at the swirls before I knew it. And then it was done! Quite suddenly I was finished. And I have a ring, a lovely ring just like the one I loved on pinterest all that time ago:))

There isn't a pattern for this but I used the original image as a basis for construction, also the designer sells her rings on Etsy here and has fabulous photographs of her work. All her jewellery is exquisite and she really has been an inspiration to me. If not for that one photo I'd never have attempted to make something I love so much.

See you all tomorrow! x