Goldfish chain and pendant decoration

Originally posted: May 2017

Here's a little tutorial to keep your wireworking fingers busy and active. You can scale it up as a piece of home decor, or create it into a necklace or earrings ... I will leave your imagination to it's own devices...

STEP 1

Depending on the size of the fish, cut a length of 0.8mm wire - I used about 6"-15cm. Place your chain nosed pliers just past the middle of the length and bend a kink. Re-position the pliers next to the kink and bend back to form a 'v' indent.

STEP 2

Hold your pliers on one side of the 'v' indent and bring the wire back around, so that the ends cross over (to form the fish's tail).

STEP 3

Spend a little time reshaping the frame with your fingers and if one of the tail ends is longer than the other, trim with your wire cutters if necessary.

STEP 4

Cut a short length of 0.4mm wire and use this to securely bind the cross-over area of the tail. (Optional: Leave about an 1"-2.5cm of wire projecting on each side of the 0.4mm wrap ...)

STEP 5

Any leftover wire from the wrap, can be created into a small spiral and flattened over the join. Next, use your round nosed pliers to form circles at the ends of the fish tail.

STEP 6

Keep spiralling the ends to form the tail.

(Optional: Place the spiral curls on the edge of your steel block and hammer to flatten and work harden.)

STEP 7

Working from your 0.8mm spool of wire, create an open spiral which fits into the centre area of the fish frame. Securely bind the spiral into the frame at the top and bottom, using 0.4mm wire.

STEP 8

Once the spiral is secure and in place, cut off excess 0.8mm wire, leaving just enough to create the 'eye'.

STEP 9

Using the tips of your round nosed pliers, curl the wire in the opposite direction to the main 'body' spiral until it touches the top of the frame, to form the 'eye'.