Lampwork Wire Ring
A 30-Minute Project!
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You can find pretty lampwork glass beads at any local bead store, hobby store, or online supplier. Quality beads are fired in a kiln so that they become stronger and less likely to break. Lampwork beads come in a host of different colors, designs, and sizes; I've collected different beads for years and found these easy rings to be a great way to display my finds. I use 22g wire in this project because it's thin and easy to work with; because the holes on lampwork beads are usually a little larger, you can thread the wire through the bead multiple times to give the ring stability.
Level: Beginner
Materials
22g dead soft, round wire
Lampwork bead
Ring mandrel or other round object like a wooden dowel
Flush cutters
File
Optional: Bent nose or chain nose pliers
Step 1
Cut approximately 12 inches of wire from the spool. Thread the lampwork bead on the wire, centering it.
Step 2
Wind the wire around a ring mandrel or round object that is the same size as you want your ring to be when completed. Because I sometimes have difficulty with rings getting too big, I will start it about a half size smaller than I want the final ring to be.
Step 3
Thread both ends of the wire back through the bead and wind around the mandrel again. Repeat until you can't fit any more wire through the bead hole.
Step 4
Carefully remove the ring from the mandrel, and wind one loose end of the wire 2-3 times around the ring shank next to the bead. Repeat on the other side of the bead.
Step 5
Cut any excess wire, and file the ends smooth. You may want to use a chain nose pliers to "crimp" the end of the wire tight, just be cautious so you don't distort the ring's shape.
