Branch Necklace – Wire Wrapped Jewelry Tutorial
I haven’t posted a jewelry making tutorial in a while, so I decided it’s about time. I pulled this branch necklace out of my “archives” (that is my jewelry-making archives, not the blog archives) and revisited it to write this wire wrapped jewelry tutorial to share.
About five years ago, I was shopping in my favorite bead store in Tel Aviv. When I say my favorite bead store, I mean it literally had walls and aisles full of the most beautiful gemstones you can imagine.
I found a pretty strand of rondelles (I don’t recall which stone it is), dyed in colors that reminded me of autumn and so I decided to splurge.
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I used this strand to make myself a pretty necklace. The center was wired up with small gold spacer beads, and I used chains on the ends. I was left with some that I turned into two beautiful free-form wire wrapped pendants.
I wasn’t sure I’d be able to recreate it, but when I tried, it was a lot simpler than I remembered.
This branch necklace was made using some pretty beads that I found in my stash and I thought would work. These have dark greens/browns and reds that fit more with the autumn trees in my area. The gold adds adds a perfect touch.
The 24 gauge gold wire is easy to work with but still strong enough to hold. The thinness of it keeps it delicate and elegant, and totally not cheesy.
What you need to make a wire wrapped branch necklace:
- 24 gauge gold colored wire
- Appropriate beads – you have plenty of leeway with this, so use beads that you’d like!
- Tools: round nose pliers, chain nose pliers, and wire cutters
How to make a branch necklace:
1. Cut a length of wire about two feet long.
2. Twist a loop into the center. You can use your round nose pliers to guide you if you’d like. 
3. Slide on a bead.
4. Bring the wire up outside the bead.
5. And wrap it around near the top of the bead. You have your first “leaf”.
6. Continue wrapping the wire around the other wire.
7. Add another bead, wrap back up. Continue doing this adding beads as you’d like. Use bits of twisted wire to form branches.Add beads along the way to form leaves. 
8. When you are done, begin wrapping the ends of your wire upward, one by one, around the “branches” and “leaves.”
9. Wrap both ends together around the tail of your loop.
10. Trim and tuck the edges using your pliers.
You can add a pendant bail if you’d like, or just slip a chain right in the loop.
Isn’t it so beautiful and delicate? I love how each one comes out truly unique – one of the big perks of handmade!
I hope you enjoyed this branch necklace tutorial! What have you made recently that you are proud of? Comment below!
