Twilight Crown

Materials:

1/2" aluminum hardware cloth
18- and 24-gauge silver (or gold enamel coated copper wire)
beads
cotton batting
two 21" lengths of 1-1/4" wide decorative ribbon
6" length of open link silver or gold chain to match crown
paper
black marker
clear acrylic jig with 10 steel pegs
round-nose pliers
flush cutters
chain-nose pliers
nylon jaw pliers
straight pins
sewing machine
needle and thread
crown pattern (create or purchase)

1. Cut a 19-inch length of hardware cloth 1/2 inch wide. Trim vertical pieces flush to horizontal pieces to minimize sharp parts with flush cutters (figure A).

2. Draw a Celtic lace pattern on paper and place under the jig as a guide (figure B).

• Wind five feet of 18-gauge wire through the pegs on the jig (figure C).
• Repeat the pattern 11 times to create a continuous length of jigged wire to serve as structure for the crown.
• Add beads between each repeated pattern (figures D and E).

3. Wind an end of the jigged piece around an end of the trimmed hardware cloth. Repeat on the other end of the hardware cloth with the other end of the jigged piece (figure F).

4. Wrap the tallest section of each jigged pattern onto the hardware cloth with 24-gauge wire. Repeat for all 11 patterns.

5. Wind 2-1/2 feet of 18-gauge wire through the pegs on the jig, repeating the pattern five times to create two lengths of jigged wire to make a decorative element above the wire jigged in step 2. Add beads between each repeated pattern.

6. Form two spirals with 6-inch tails with round nose pliers (figure G).

7. Mount large beads on the spirals (figure H). Thread them through the center of the jigged wire at an angle, making sure to wind the wire back and forth through the open loops. This will create stability.

8. Wind a five-foot length of the 24-gauge wire horizontally through the jigged base to add stability. Wind the wire at each crossing of the 18-gauge wire, adding beads in between.

9. Mount the jigged pieces created in step 5, adding more beads.