While today may be a sultry 86' in Annapolis, the promise of cooler weather is here. The mornings have recently been lovely - almost cool enough for an extra layer. Come on, fall!
Cooler weather - sweater and scarf weather - is my favorite! But, bundling up covers necklaces and makes dangly earrings feel crowded by collars. Enter the gorgeously beaded kilt pin - festive, playful, and sturdy enough to secure a pashmina or push through a heavy sweater or lapel. I like the idea of a colorful pin on a poncho, as well, to break up the monotony of the broad fabric.
To make these, I wire-wrapped glass seed beads to curvy kilt pins - in person, the pins resemble a music note. I added a jump ring dangle to the hinge to create movement and continue the color theme. These can be made in an infinite variety!
I love your kilt pins and have wanted to do some myself. Do you make your own pins or did you find a supply source?
ReplyDeleteThanks! I found those pins on Etsy.
DeleteMelissa:
DeleteI adore the kilt pins and was trying to get the wire around the pins. I am not as crafty as I thought so could you please give me tips? Do I wrap on a separate piece of wire and transfer over? If wrapping on the pin so you hold the wire and pin with pliers? Did you glue the final product? Do you measure the wire first, place beads on it the wrap it around? Thanks so much!
Melissa:
ReplyDeleteI adore the kilt pins and was trying to get the wire around the pins. I am not as crafty as I thought so could you please give me tips? Do I wrap on a separate piece of wire and transfer over? If wrapping on the pin so you hold the wire and pin with pliers? Did you glue the final product? Do you measure the wire first, place beads on it the wrap it around? Thanks so much!
Hi Randy, thank you for your message! How fun that you are trying this project. I will admit that wrapping wire and beads on the outer edge of the curvy pins isn't easy - you have to navigate the sharp end of the pin and the curvy part while wrapping. The goal is to make the wraps neat and uniform between the beads- you can use pliers to help squeeze the wraps together neatly and to tuck the ends of the wire (no glue). I just do one bead at a time because you have to cut the wire off the spool and keeping all the beads on the wire while wrapping sounds like a extra challenge! The first time I did a kilt pin, it was a straight sided 4" pin (found at Joann; there is a post on these, too) - that's an easier place to start than the curved ones. Working with wire requires some patience, so take it one wrap at a time. Good luck!
DeleteHello Melissa, I made 2 of the " musical style" kilt pin now & while they came out fairly well, I really had difficulties trying to work with that much wire. I was wondering if you worked the curved part of this kilt pin then the straight part. Going around that curve was challenging. It's a lot of wire to work with. I did one of the pins with 2 pieces of wire but trying to add the end piece was not going well for me. I love a challenge but do you have a video showing how you created this beautiful kilt pin? You have to have lots of patience for sure if no video could you give me some good to help this project easier. Thanks for any advise you may offer Sincerely, Marilyn Champagne my email is mchamp46@comcast.net
DeleteHi Marilyn, thank you for your message! It’s fun to think about these lovely pins again. Unfortunately, I do not have any videos. I started wrapping on the straight end, so by the time I hit the curve, my hands were comfortable wrapping tightly. I know that some people string all the beads on the spool and wrap from the spool, rather than using cut lengths of wire, but that was always too awkward for me. But, that’s another way of doing it. Otherwise, yes, lots of patience!! Thanks again. I am thrilled that you are making these.
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