How to make a Wire Spider - How To: Weekly contest by @starjewel

This is my entry in the contest How To: Weekly - created, sponsored and judged by @aoart and @roscoeh.

I will teach you how to make a cool wire spider charm. You can use it as a pendant or as a mobile ornament. I like to hang my spider charm from my car's rear-view mirror. You can also make a larger version and put it on your desk or window sill.

So here is the spider:

I hope you're getting excited, it is a very cool project. There are many small steps, but I want to keep this tutorial short and sweet, therefore I am using picture collages to group the steps together. It will be much easier to follow.

So, let's get busy! You will need wire, pliers and cutters and a bead. In this demonstration I used artistic wire 24 gauge (silver colored copper wire). You also need a straight piece of wire about 10" long, as an additional tool, (16 gauge and hard), let's call it "metal stick".

Step 1
We start working with the wire straight from the spool. At approx. 2", wrap the wire twice on the metal stick. Measure 2", bend the wire, and go back to the metal stick. Wrap twice again, making 2 loops on the metal stick. In the same manner, measure 1.25" and go back to the stick. These are the four legs from the right side of the spider. So you will make four double "sticks" of 2", 1.25", 1.25", 2".

Step 2

We continue wrapping around the metal stick. We make 3 additional back and fourth "sticks", but only half inch long. These are the 2 antennae and the charm's bail in the middle. Keep going, and make more spider legs. The pattern is the same: 2", 1.25", 1.25", 2". When you finish, bring all the wraps together with the pliers, tighten them a little bit to look neat. Pull out the hard metal stick.

Step 3

Cut a piece of wire 10" long. Insert this wire in the loops. Tie the loops together and twist two times to secure. You will obtain a ring. Make sure you have two loose wires on each side of the ring.

Step 4

Attach the bead by threading two wires through the bead whole. Bring the two wires up and twist twice around the upper part, to secure the bead in place. Keep twisting the remainder of the wire. Go on the the other side and twist the other 2" loose wires. Then twist all other wires, as shown. Use the pliers to obtain a neat look.

Step 5

Now the bead is in place and everything is twisted. Great job! Coil the two loose twisted wires, each one should be on opposite sites. Press them close to the ring of loops. That is the spider's body. :)

Step 6

Last step is to bend your spider's legs. Use the pliers or just your fingers.

Congratulations! You made an awesome spider!

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