A wire-wrapped suncatcher starts with a plain metal bangle. You wrap thin copper wire around it, catching a sparkly crystal bead every few turns, then hang a faceted crystal in the middle to throw rainbows across the room. Artria Jewelry makes this one in pinks and purples on a bright brass bangle, with a beaded chain on top and a teardrop crystal below.
How to make a wire-wrapped suncatcher: the short version
- Hang your center and bottom crystals on jump rings.
- Wrap 26 gauge wire three times around the bangle.
- Add a bead, wrap three more times, and repeat all the way around.
- Finish the wire, tuck the ends and hang the center crystal.
- Make bead links for the top and bottom and add a hanging loop.
Finding a bangle
Any smooth metal bangle works. Thrift stores and the back of a jewelry box are full of them. A bangle about 3 inches across is easy to handle and holds 30 to 50 beads. Mixing metals is fine: copper wire on a brass bangle gives a warm, two-tone look. Embroidery hoop rings and macrame rings work too if you want a bigger suncatcher.
Which wire gauge goes where
Wire gauge numbers run backward, so a bigger number is a thinner wire. You need three:
- 26 gauge for wrapping the beads onto the bangle. It is soft and bends easily.
- 18 gauge for the bead links on the top chain and the drop.
- 16 gauge for the hanging loop, which carries the most weight.
Cut about an arm's length of the thin wire to start. If you run out, you can add more.
Picking crystals that catch the light
Faceted beads throw more sparkle than smooth ones. AB crystals, the ones with a rainbow coating, are the brightest. Glass and acrylic both work. The center crystal does most of the work making rainbows, so choose a clear faceted drop or ball prism about an inch across.
Where to hang it
Hang it in a south or west facing window, where direct sun hits it for part of the day. A small suction cup hook or a piece of ribbon from a curtain rod both work. Outdoors, a tree branch or porch hook works, but bring it in during storms.
Making them to sell or give
Once you have the rhythm, one suncatcher takes about an hour. Make a few in school colors, birthstone colors or a friend's favorite shade. They pack flat in a small box and sell well at craft fairs.
Common mistakes
- Loose wraps. Beads spin and slide. Hold the wire taut as you wrap.
- Sharp wire ends. Snip close and press every end flat with pliers.
- Open jump rings. Twist them sideways to open and close, never pull them apart, or they lose their shape.
More light-catching crafts
For a no-wire version, try a beaded suncatcher on fishing line. Ready for a bigger project? Make a stained glass suncatcher. The same wrapping skills make wire-wrapped earrings, and a dream catcher or wind chime would hang nicely beside it.
