Cocktail rings make great fashion statements and it's easy to make your own. In this Beading Lesson, I'll show you how to make a fun gazing ball ring.

To get started, you'll need 22-gauge Artistic Wire, one 8-10mm bead, a ring mandrel, chain nose pliers and wire cutters.

Cut one yard of wire and string the bead onto the center. Place the bead over the mandrel one size bigger than you want the finished ring to be. Hold the bead over the mandrel and wrap the wire around the mandrel twice above and below the bead.

Next, wrap the wire around the bead itself to form a little basket. The wires should be fairly tight against the bead, but the design isn’t supposed to be perfect. Don't worry too much about where the wires lay. Wrap the remaining few inches of wire in a coil around the band on each side of the bead.

Make sure the finished ring is the size you want it to be, then tap the band lightly with a chasing hammer or squeeze it between nylon jaw pliers to harden the wire and help the ring keep its shape.

To make a more delicate version, use 24" of wire with a 8mm bead. Wrap the wire fewer times around the base of the bead. It will still be quite a lot of wire but the overall effect will be more demure.

Links:
German-Style Plated Wire
Stainless Steel Wire