Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 1

Tutorial: HAMMERED SWIRL

LINK BRACELET
Created by KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs)
www.ksjewellerydesigns.blogspot.com
Please do not distribute, lend or copy. Do not mass produce.
Please always give credit to
KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs)
Copyrights 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs)

This step-by-step tutorial has detailed

instructions (112 steps with 112 close-up
photographs) to show you how to create a
beautiful HAMMERED SWIRL LINK BRACELET
with a matching ‘swirl clasp’.
The lesson includes clear instructions on creating
spirals, shaping and hammering wire and wire-
wrapping techniques.

Materials:
• 18 gauge soft round wire (approx. 60cm in
total)
• 24 gauge soft round wire (approx. 80cm in
total)
• 26 gauge soft round wire (approx. 50cm in
total)
• Rondelle beads x 42 (This quantity depends
on the size of your beads - the smooth
rondelle beads in this tutorial measure
approx. 5mm in diameter and 3mm in
thickness)

Tools:
• Wire cutters
• Round nose pliers
• Chain nose pliers (2 pairs)
• Flat headed hammer
• Bench block
• Sanding pads (3 grades)
• Polishing cloth
• Permanent marker pen
• Ruler or measuring tape
• Dowel or round pencil (diameter approx.
7mm)
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 2

Instructions for
HAMMERED SWIRL LINK
BRACELET

The bracelet is made up of 3 different

sections:

• Hammered swirl links (x4)

• Hammered swirl clasp (loop and
hook)
• Parallel beaded links (5 sets of 2
links)

Hammered Swirl Links

See Steps 1 to 26 (first part)

and Steps 59 to 63 (second part)

Hammered Swirl Clasp

(loop and hook)

See Steps 27 to 57

Parallel Beaded Links

See Steps 94 to 108

Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 3

Instructions for
Hammered Swirl Links
(first part)

Materials:
• 18 gauge soft round wire

Step 1) First you need a length of 18 gauge soft

round wire. Clean about 60cm of wire from the
end with a polishing cloth.

Step 2) Make a flush cut (straight edge) with your

wire cutters to snip off the end of the wire.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 4

Step 3) Measure 5.5cm of wire against your ruler

or measuring tape and make a flush cut.

Step 4) Flush cut the end of the wire on the roll

and then cut off another 5.5cm length of wire by
measuring it against the first piece.

Step 5) Take off any rough bits from all the ends
of the wire pieces with a sanding pad.
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Step 6) Hold the end of one of the pieces of wire

between the tips of your round nose pliers.

Turn the pliers round to make a little circle.

Step 7) Your circle should look like this.

Step 8) Hold the edge of the little circle between

your chain nose pliers. Push the rest of the wire
down and around the little circle.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 6

Step 9) Move the pliers to grip further round your

developing spiral and push the wire round again.

Step 10) Keep moving and re-gripping the pliers

and pushing the wire round until you have
created a ‘double’ spiral (with the wire round
twice).

Your double spiral should look like this.

Step 11) Repeat the same process to make a

spiral at the other end of the wire.

NB. Make sure the spirals are curling up the same

side of the wire (as in the photo)
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Step 12) Repeat Steps 6 to 11 to make a

matching double spiral wire piece.

Step 13) Hold one of the double spiral wire pieces

over a dowel or round pencil of a diameter of
approximately 7mm.

Step 14) Grip each spiral and push down on the

dowel so that the wire bends around the dowel
and makes an arch shape.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 8

Step 15) The ‘swirl’ wire piece should look like

this.

Step 16) Repeat Steps 13 and 14 on the second

wire piece.

Place the 2 ‘swirl’ wire pieces together to check

they match.

Step 17) Gently hammer each ‘swirl’ wire piece.

Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 9

Step 18) As you hammer, try to spread the wire

out evenly.

Step 19) Check that the 2 hammered ‘swirl’ wire

pieces still match.

Step 20) Thread some of the rondelle beads onto

some 24 gauge wire and test to see how many
will fit in the gap between the wire pieces.

Remember this number of beads for later.

Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 10

Step 21) Place the tip of your chain nose pliers in

the centre of one of the hammered spirals and
gently open up the spiral a little bit by pulling the
pliers to the side.

Step 22) Your spiral should now look like this.

You need a gap in the spiral to allow room for the

wire-wrapping that will hold the hammered wire
pieces together.

Step 23) Repeat Step 21 on all the other spirals

and check your 2 hammered ‘swirl’ wire pieces
still match.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 11

Step 24) To remove any tool marks and to

smooth out hammering marks, use sanding pads
(3 different grades).

Start with the roughest pad and rub over the wire
pieces (front, back and sides).

Then repeat the process with the next sanding

pad and end with the finest grade pad.

Step 25) When you have finished sanding, give

both the wire pieces a good polish with a
polishing cloth.

Step 26) Your ‘swirl’ wire pieces will be smooth

and shiny.

NB. Instead of steps 24 and 25 you could place

your ‘swirl’ wire pieces in a tumbler which will
polish and harden the wire.

They are now ready for wire-wrapping together to

make a ‘hammered swirl link’ (to be shown later
in the tutorial – see Step 59).
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 12

Instructions for
Hammered Swirl Clasp
(loop and hook)

Materials:
• 18 gauge soft round wire

Step 27) The ‘swirl clasp’ has 2 parts: a ‘loop’ and

a ‘hook’.

To make these you will use some of the

techniques already used to make the ‘hammered
swirl links’.

To make the ‘loop’ – cut a 7.5cm length of 18

gauge soft wire.

Make sure both ends are flush cut and sand off
any rough bits (as in Step 5).

Step 28) Create 2 double spirals at each end (as

in Steps 6 to 11).
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 13

Step 29) Place the wire piece over your 7mm

dowel and grip the 2 spirals.

Push the spirals down and around the dowel.

Step 30) Squeeze the spirals together so that

they touch and the wire makes a complete loop.

Step 31) Your ‘loop’ wire piece should look like

this.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 14

Step 32) To make the ‘hook’ – cut an 8cm length

of 18 gauge soft wire.

Make sure both ends are flush cut and sand off
any rough bits (as in Step 5).

Step 33) Create double spirals at each end, as

before.

Step 34) Place your wire piece against your ruler

or measuring tape and place the tip of your round
nose pliers at the centre point.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 15

Step 35) Grip the wire at the centre point.

Step 36) With your other hand, gently bend the

wire by pushing it around the tips of your round
nose pliers.

Step 37) Keep pushing and bending until the

spirals touch.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 16

Step 38) Use your chain nose pliers to squeeze

the straight parts of the wire together.

Step 39) Your ‘hook’ wire piece should look like

this.

Step 40) Gently hammer both of the wire pieces

(loop and hook) as in Steps 17 and 18
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Step 41) After it has been hammered, the ‘loop’

wire piece will have opened.

Step 42) Return the ‘loop’ wire piece to the 7mm

dowel and squeeze the spirals together again.

Step 43) Your ‘loop’ wire piece should look like

this.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 18

Step 44) After it has been hammered, the ‘hook’

wire piece will also have opened slightly.

Step 45) Use your chain nose pliers to gently

squeeze the straight wires back together again.

Step 46) Your ‘hook’ wire piece should look like

this.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 19

Step 47) Sand and polish both wire pieces (as in

Steps 24 and 25).

Step 48) Lay the ‘hook’ and ‘loop’ wire pieces

down next to the ‘swirl link’ wire pieces (as in the
photo).

This is to help you work out where you need to

bend the ‘hook’ wire piece so that the closed
‘swirl clasp’ will be the same length as the ‘swirl
links’.

Step 49) Grip the ‘hook’ wire piece between your

round nose pliers and bend the wire.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 20

Step 50) Bend and squeeze the wire around the

pliers.

Step 51) Keep bending until the wire piece looks

like this.

Step 52) Link it through the ‘loop’ to check the

length of the clasp is correct.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 21

Step 53) With your chain nose pliers push the tip
of the wire down to touch the spirals.

Step 54) Grip the tip of the bent wire between

your round nose pliers and bend it up.

Step 55) This is the side view of the ‘hook’.

Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 22

Step 56) Your finished ‘swirl clasp’ should look

like this (FRONT SIDE).

Step 57) Your finished ‘swirl clasp’ should look

like this (BACK SIDE).
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 23

IMPORTANT CALCULATION

This calculation is to help you

make your bracelet to a
required length
Step 58) Make up 3 more pairs of hammered
‘swirl’ wire pieces (as in Steps 2 to 26).

Lay the ‘clasp’ and 4 pairs of ‘swirl’ wire pieces

along the side of your ruler or tape measure.

This is to help you work out how long the ‘parallel

beaded links’ need to be.

In total there will be 5 sets of 2 parallel beaded

links.

Here is my calculation:

The ‘clasp’ and 4 pairs of ‘swirl’ links measure

11.5cm

My final bracelet length is to be 19cm

19cm less 11.5cm equals 7.5cm

7.5cm divided by 5 equals 1.5cm

Therefore, each gap between the ‘hammered

swirl links’ needs to be 1.5cm. To make an
allowance for where wires loop through and over
each other add another 0.2cm (2mm):

1.5cm add 0.2cm equals 1.7cm

Therefore, each ‘beaded link’ will need to be

1.7cm long.

NB. Remember this length for later when

you have finished all the ‘hammered swirl
links’
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 24

Instructions for
Hammered Swirl Links
(second part)

Materials:
• 26 gauge soft round wire
• 24 gauge soft round wire
• Rondelle beads

Step 59) Clean about 10cm from the end of a

length of 26 gauge soft wire. (Do not cut any wire
off yet.)

Grip the wire with your chain nose pliers about

2cm from the ‘short’ end. (I will call the other end
of the wire the ‘long’ end)

Bend the wire loosely over the pliers to make a

small triangular loop.

Step 60) Your triangular loop should look like

this.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 25

Step 61) Take two of the ‘swirl’ wire pieces and

hold them together at one end. Feed the
triangular loop around the touching wires
between the two spirals.

Push the ‘short’ end and ‘long’ end of the wire

down to make the loop tighter.

Step 62) This photo shows the underside.

Step 63) With your chain nose pliers, grip the

‘short’ end and both spirals.

Hold the ‘long’ end with the fingers of your other

hand and wrap the wire around the touching
wires – pull as tight as you can.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 26

Step 64) When you have made 2 or 3 wraps you

should be able to remove the pliers and hold the
other end of the ‘swirl’ wire pieces.

Continue wrapping until you have made about 5

wraps. Finish with the ‘short’ end and ‘long’ end
on the underside.

Step 65) Place your chain nose pliers over the

wrapped wire section and squeeze gently to
secure the wrapping.

Step 66) Make sure the wrapping is neat (i.e.

without gaps) by gently squeezing the wraps
together with your chain nose pliers.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 27

Step 67) Snip off the ‘short’ end and the ‘long’
end. Make each cut at an angle and push the
wire end down against the hammered wire.

Step 68) This photo shows the front side of the

‘swirl link’.

Step 69) This photo shows the underside of the

‘swirl link’.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 28

Step 70) Sand over the underside of the wire

wrapping to smooth off any rough ends.

Step 71) Repeat Steps 59 to 70 to wrap the other

end of the ‘swirl link’

Step 72) Hold both ends of the ‘swirl’ link with

your thumbs on the underside.

Gently bend it so it is slightly curved. This will

help the finished bracelet sit nicely around your
wrist.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 29

Step 73) The bent ‘swirl link’ should look like this.

Step 74) Now you are ready to add the beads to

the centre of the ‘swirl link’.

Clean and cut about 10cm from the end of a

length of 24 gauge soft wire.

Place the ‘short’ end of the wire through the gap

in the ‘swirl link’ and hold it against the underside
of the wrapped wire section (with about 1cm
sticking out the end).

Step 75) Wrap the ‘long’ end around the wrapped

wire section and back through the gap.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 30

Step 76) Wrap the ‘long’ end around the wrapped

wire section one more time and finish on the
underside of the ‘swirl link’.

Hold the ‘long’ end down against the other end of

the ‘swirl’ link so the wire lies along the gap.

Step 77) Lift the ‘short’ end up at a 90 degree

angle.

Step 78) Keeping hold of the ‘long’ end, wrap the

‘short’ end around the wire of the ‘long end. Use
your chain nose pliers to help manoeuvre the
‘short’ end.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 31

Step 79) Wrap the ‘short’ end around the ‘long’

end wire a second time.

Step 80) Finish on the underside of the ‘swirl

link’.

Step 81) Snip off the ‘short’ end.

Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 32

Step 82) Squeeze the cut end down around the

‘long’ end wire.

Step 83) Thread some rondelle beads onto the

wire.

Step 84) Push the beads up into the gap.

Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 33

Step 85) Loop the ‘long’ end around the wrapped

wire section at the other end of the ‘swirl link’.

This is the side view.

Step 86) This is the front view.

Step 87) Pull the ‘long’ end firmly to tighten the

loop around the wrapped wire section.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 34

Step 88) Make another loop with the ‘long’ end

and finish on the underside of the ‘swirl link’.

Step 89) Thread the ‘long’ end through the gap in

the ‘swirl link’ and wrap the ‘long’ end wire
around the wire near the end of the beads.

Step 90) Make another wrap and finish on the

underside of the ‘swirl link’.

Snip off the excess ‘long’ end wire.

Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 35

Step 91) Squeeze the cut end down as before.

Step 92) You have now completed your first

‘hammered swirl link’.

Step 93) Make 3 more ‘hammered swirl links’

Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 36

Instructions for
Parallel Beaded Links

Materials:
• 24 gauge soft round wire
• Rondelle beads

Step 94) Now you are ready to make the ‘parallel

beaded links’.

Clean about 60cm of 24 gauge soft wire.

Cut off a 5cm length.

Step 95) Thread 3 beads onto the middle of the

wire.

NB. You may need less or more beads. The next

few steps will help you work out how many beads
you need for each ‘beaded link’.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 37

Step 96) With a permanent marker pen draw a

line on your round nose pliers approximately
6mm from the tip.

(This mark will help ensure that other loops to be

made can be made to the same size.)

Step 97) Grip the wire with your round nose

pliers to one side of the beads at the marked
point on your pliers.

Step 98) Push the wire up to about a 45 degree

angle.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 38

Step 99) Move the pliers slightly up the bent wire

and wrap the wire around the pliers to make a
loop.

Step 100) Place the tip of the loop at the end of

your ruler or measuring tape.

I want my ‘beaded links’ to be approximately

1.7cm (this was the length I calculated in Step
58), therefore I need to make another loop by
placing my pliers at approximately1.4cm along
from the looped end.

Step 101) Make another loop as in Steps 97 to 99

with both ends of the wire pointing the same
way.

Measure the unfinished link against your ruler or

tape measure.

If the unfinished link is below the required length

you will need to start the link again, cut a longer
length of wire and add another bead.

If the unfinished link is above the required length

you will need to start the link again, cut a shorter
length of wire and remove a bead.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 39

Step 102) When you are happy with the length of

your beaded link thread one loop through one of
the spirals of a ‘swirl link’.

Step 103) With one pair of your chain nose pliers

grip the loop and with the other pair of chain
nose pliers grip the end of the wire.

Step 104) Wrap the wire around the straight wire

and squeeze the end of the wire to make a neat
wrap.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 40

Step 105) Thread the other end of the ‘beaded

link’ through the spiral of another ‘swirl link’ and
repeat Steps 102 to 104.

Step 106) You have completed your first ‘beaded

link’.

Step 107) Make a second ‘beaded link’ to join the

other spirals on the ‘swirl links.
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 41

Step 108) You have now made your first pair of

‘parallel beaded links’.

Only 4 more pairs to make until you have

finished your bracelet!

Step 109) Connect the ‘loop’ part of the ‘swirl

clasp’ to one end of the bracelet.

NB. Do not finish wrapping the loops yet.

Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 42

Step 110) Connect the ‘hook’ part of the ‘swirl

clasp’ to the other end of the bracelet.

NB. Do not finish wrapping the loops yet.

Step 111) Lay the whole unfinished bracelet

along the side of your ruler or tape measure to
check the length.

If the bracelet is too long – remove a bead from

one pair of the unfinished ‘beaded links’

If the bracelet is too short – add a bead to one

pair of the unfinished ‘beaded links’

Step 112) When you are happy with the length –

complete all the unfinished ‘beaded links’.

Check the bracelet for any rough parts that might

catch as you wear it – push in any sticking out
wires and sand off rough edges.

Give the bracelet one final polish and it is ready

to wear!
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 43

GALLERY OF HAMMERED SWIRL LINK BRACELETS

Natural Moonstone Icy Blue Topaz

Labradorite This bracelet was made with larger ‘hammered

swirl links’ enclosing 4 beads within each link and
the ‘parallel beaded links’ contained 2 beads each
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 44

More tutorials from K S Jewellery Designs

Wire Flowers Coiled Jewels Genie Drops

Wire Blossoms Jewelled Flowers Five Bead Flowers

Spiral Loop Frames Lace Ups Spiral Bells

Created by KRISTIN SMITH

(K S Jewellery Designs)

Blog: www.ksjewellerydesigns.blogspot.com
Etsy: www.ksjewellerydesigns.etsy.com
Folksy: www.folksy.com/shops/ksjewellerydesigns
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/ksjewellerydesigns
Copyright 2010 KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs) Page: 45

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial.

For comments or questions, please contact me at:

[email protected]

Please do not distribute, lend or copy.

Do not mass produce.

Please give credit to: KRISTIN SMITH (K S Jewellery Designs)

Copyrights 2010 KRISTIN SMITH

(K S Jewellery Designs)

I hope you have fun making lots of different jewellery following my tutorials.

I am happy for you to sell your creations that you make (as long as they are
not mass produced or made by someone else for you) but I would be
grateful if you would give credit to Kristin Smith (K S Jewellery Designs) in
any jewellery you make following or inspired by any of my tutorials and ask
that you include a link to my tutorial or to my blog:
http://ksjewellerydesigns.blogspot.com

All of my tutorials are sold for your personal use only. They are not to be
purchased for resale or copied for free distribution. Please contact me if you
wish to use any of my tutorials to teach the design to your own students
and, if I agree, I will give you written consent.

Thank you and happy creating!

Kristin :)