Tuesday's Tutorial

                                                Wire Wrapped Toggle Bars

I'm happy with the way these toggle bars came out and I think they really jazz up my enameled toggles. And I'm excited to find another way to use my new colored wire!

I use either 14 or 16 gauge wire in brass, copper, or argentium sterling to make my toggle bars. Working from the spool, hammer just the tip of the wire so that the wire wrap doesn't slide off. I use a needle file to round the end.

 To get your toggle the right size, position the hammered end just slightly off the edge of the toggle. This will ensure that the bar will be long enough and your clasp won't come undone. Mark the wire at the center of the opening.

Put your needle nose pliers just past the mark

and wrap the wire around once. Cut the other end the same length and hammer the tip like before. I put my wire components in my tumbler to make them strong and shiny. You could also hammer them with a rubber mallet.

I cut a 12 inch piece of colored wire and wrapped it around once or twice close to the hammered end and leave a tail.

 
Using the flat nose pliers, grab the end and the tail at the same time.

 
Wrap the wire around the bar keeping the coil as tight as you can.

 When you get to the middle, just pass the wire over the top and continue wrapping on the other side. You can use your fingers to hold the bar now.

Cut the ends and squeeze the ends to the bar.

Unique and colorful!!