And another, related tutorial...Worms

Further to my previous thread regarding Sherilyn Millers tutorials where I posted some pics of the coil work I had been doing, I'm following up with a couple of pics of another tutorial from the same book. This one is worm beads.
made from 2 strands of wire twisted with an electric drill (this was much easier and more fun than I expected) which are coiled around a thin tapering tool (I used a make-up brush handle) to make a coil or wire resembling a tornado. This is then coiled AGAIN around the same tapering tool (brush) and slipped onto a thick wire and finished off with 2 coiled loops. These stabilise the coils into something you can use as a connector or bead. Much easier and more straightforward than it seems and I reckon I could do these quite quickly once I've practised them a bit more.

worm beads by Odonata Studios, on Flickr


worm beads (2) by Odonata Studios, on Flickr

I've photographed it against the cover of the book in which the tutorial features so you see the relevance, and also a super-macro shot so you can see the detail. I'm not happy with the double wrapped loop at the base of the bead as it's not very round. I think a single loop would look better and will try that next time.
These beads do use a huge amount of wire though and I can't halp thinking that using sterling silver could be PROHIBITIVELY expensive. Approx 6 feet of .4mm plus 6-8" of both .6mm and 1mm.

That's a lot of wire, but looks fabulous.

Oooooh! Like Shame they are so greedy on wire, perhaps just one focal then lol

Did wonder about those before Gillian with copper wire but wasn't sure how you get the wire into the drill. They do like fabulous, wonder if it would work in an electric screwdriver, got one of those.
Lisa x

i only have an humble gizmo to make my coils, the drill sounds a bit too scary.

Do you know I forgot I have one of those gizmos, have never used it! Might have to dig it out now.
Lisa x

To get the wire into the drill the ends of the wire are wrapped in making tape or electicians tape a few times to give the chuck something to bite on and then the chuck tightened onto it. It's very easy. I was worried the wire would snap and twang me in the eye but it didn't. (however I guess it's always a possibility) but I took it very slowly and stopped twisting before it got to the snapping off point.
I haven't used a Gizmo but am guessing it's a twisting device and would do exactly the same job.
I bet these would look great in copper....I'm sure my husband has a heap of electrical wire in the garage

Thanks for that Gillian, I'll give it a try. Copper ones would look great, especially treated with LOS.
Lisa x