How To: Make a Wire Ring

Making wire rings has recently become a trend, and I can understand why! These rings are so fun to make and they look so cute on. In my opinion, they elevate and dress up any outfit, so spending a few minutes making a few is worth it. I especially love to stack them, so i usually wear around 6 at a time. Since these rings take around 5-10 minutes each, I have loads and cater my rings to my outfit on any given day. This tutorial will show one way of making wire rings, but there are many more styles (some of which are very complicated and require practice in wire working).

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

Start by gathering all your materials. You’ll want to do this project on a flat and solid surface, such as a desk. The necessary materials are wire, a bead, pliers, a wire cutter, and a ring mandrel. For the wire, you can use any color or material, like gold, silver, aluminum, etc. I suggest the gauges to be 20 or 22. If you do not have a ring mandrel, use any cylindrical object relatively the size of a finger, like a highlighter or makeup brush.

Step 2: Find Your Ring Size

If you would like to make your ring a fixed size, then make sure to check your ring size before cutting the wire. You can do this by measuring your finger and using this chart to determine your size. If you do not have a ring mandrel, making an adjustable ring is optimal, and instructions on how to adapt your ring so it is adjustable will be at the end.

Step 3: Cut Your Wire

Now we will begin actually making the ring. Start by using the wire cutters to trim the wire to your desired length. My suggestion is 10-12 inches, but the length depends on how big you want the ring, the size of the bead, and how secure you want the bead. Additionally, it is safe to eyeball the length because it can always be trimmed at a later time.

Step 4: Put the Bead On

Locate the half-point on the wire by putting the two ends together and pulling down the middle. Then, string the bead onto the wire until it reaches that point.

Step 5: Begin to Shape the Band

Place the wire with the bead onto the ring mandrel or cylindrical object. If you are using a mandrel, make sure the wire and bead are placed where your ring size is printed. Then, wrap the wire tightly around the cylindrical object and wrap both ends as many times as you want. Do this by flattening the wire and crossing them on the opposite side of the cylinder in relation to the bead, then wrapping around to the front (where the bead is). Repeat this process until you are happy with the thickness of the ring.

Step 6: Secure the Bead

When you are finished making the ring band, wrap the wire tightly and carefully around the bead to secure it. This part can be tricky at times, and you may want to trim the wire down if it is too long. Also, I recommend holding the bead in place.

Step 7: Secure Excess Wire Around the Band

With the excess wire, wrap it around the band to secure the ring. If you would like to make it size-adjustable, you’ll want to secure it more so that it does not come undone in step 8.

Step 8: Making the Ring Adjustable

If you would like the ring to be size-adjustable, follow these steps! If not, move to the next one. Use your wire cutters to cut the band in half, making sure to cut the part opposite from the bead (bottom of the ring). Then, use your pliers to fold the edges of the wire in half and flat you the ring does not scratch your finger.

Step 9: Finishing Touches

Lastly, trim off any excess wire and soften up the edges by pressing them into the wire band. One place you will want to double check is where the wire wraps around the band. Make sure the end up the wire is pressed into the band. Additionally, you may want the end of the wire to be on the outside of the ring, or the part not touching your finger. If you would like to clean the ring, use rubbing alcohol and let dry.