It's that time again for our Monthly Challenge Blog Hop!
I've joined a group of creative bloggers to bring you a monthly challenge blog hop. On the 2nd Monday of each month we share our themed creations for the month.
The theme for July is Thrift Store Upcycle Challenge where we upcycle/repurpose an item we found at the thrift store for twenty dollars or less!
This post contains links to products, if you
purchase something after clicking on my link I may earn a small
commission to help with my craft expenses (at no extra cost to you).Thank you!
I have to confess that no matter where I shop I'm always on the look out for anything in the purple/plum range. So when I came across this adorable glass vase at the Goodwill, I was going to buy it - no matter what! Good thing it only cost a dollar! Lol!
In trying to decide how I might upcycle/repurpose this vase, I thought of a tutorial I recently saw on Youtube by Beadaholique where the instructor shared how to make wire netting around a bottle . . . and for a different look, how to add beads to the wire netting. How cute would it be to dress up a vase with decorative wire netting and stone-like beads. Sort of like a decorative collar! So cool! Here's how I made mine.
Materials used:
- Vase
- Gold wire - 18 & 28 gauge
- Flush wire cutter pliers
- Round nose pliers
- Stone-like beads
Instructions:
Cut the 18 gauge wire long enough to wrap around the stem of the vase, criss-crossing in the middle. Make sure the lengths are even on both sides from the overlapping.
Next, take round nose pliers and curl up each end by twirling the wire around. This will be the anchor wire for the netting.
Then, cut the 28 gauge wire about 3 ft. long - a length you can easily handle -and wrap one end several times behind and over the anchor wire (around) where it criss-crosses to help make it sturdy. Make sure the coils are nice and tight and pushed together with your fingers. The anchor wire might be a little loose but that'll make it easier to insert the wire behind it. You will then have a short tail on one side and the rest of the 3 ft. or less wire on the other side.
Next, pull the longer wire straight down and make a loop (holding it down with your thumb). Take the end of the longer wire and insert it behind and down under the 18 gauge anchor wire . . .
coming out over the loop wire, and pull to the right, being careful not to kink up the long wire.
Continue to wrap the wire by pulling the wire down to make loop, inserting the wire end up behind the 18 gauge wire and down over the loop wire. Try to keep all the loops uniform as you make them and being careful with the wire kinking. Gently undo any kinks as you go.
As you make the loops, hold the previous loops down to stabilize and hold their shapes. You'll get the hang of it after making a few loops. Just remember to take the wire up and behind the anchor wire, down and over the loop wire and pull. Make sure to look how the wire comes out - sometimes it will end up under the loop instead of over - especially if you're trying to undo a kink. If that happens, gently pull it out and take the wire over the loop.
When you reach the spot where you started - and to continue onto the next row, pull the wire behind the anchor wire and pull down, going through the first loop (where you started) - over and behind the anchor wire and over the loop wire and pull. You will then have the beginning of first loop of the second row.
Continue as before, with the same technique - only this time you are taking the end wire behind the above loop wire (in the first row) and down over the new loop wire and pull.
To end the wire and add a new extension wire: when the wire becomes too short and you want to end it, take the end wire through the last loop you just made and wrap it around 2-3 times, pulling it tight and pushing the coiled wire together - then, use your flush wire cutter to clip off remaining wire to end.
To add a new extension wire, cut another length of wire 2-3 ft long and thread it through the last loop you made, leaving a tail to wrap around the wire of the last loop 2 or 3 times, pulling tightly and pushing the coils together.
Trim off the tail.
And then continue wire wrapping . . .
as before, looping and wrapping wire around for your second row.
To add a bead: After you've finished making a couple of rows, start another row, as before, but this time add a stone-like bead ( or any type of bead you like) onto the wire, sliding it down to the middle of the loop and continue - taking the wire up and behind the top row loop, down and over the loop wire and pull.
Continue wire wrapping this row - creating a loop, adding one bead at a time, per loop - looping wire behind and over and pull. Keep going all the way around to the spot where you started with the first bead. If you want to continue adding beads (I didn't) make the next row with plain loops, and add the beads onto the next row after the plain loop row - so it won't look so crowded.
End the wire, as stated before - by taking the wire through the last loop you made 2-3 times pulling tight and clipping off wire to end the row. And finally, adjust and straighten any wire loops and beads for an awesome look!
Now, stand back and admire the pretty decorative effect of . . .
wire netting!
Imagine decorating your vases or bottles with this cool technique!
Want to see more upcycled, repurposed or enhanced thrift store goodies? Be sure to visit each and every blogger who joined in this month's challenge!
