miniature wire nest charm

a search through some boxes unearthed a relic from my past
that's been in hiding for years...
when i saw it, i was inspired to make a larger nest using wire,
and i love how that turned out.

these miniature wire nest charms were an item i previously made and sold at vintage shows,
and this one is the original!
you can make one of your own, or as the perfect springtime gift!

continue reading for an easy tutorial...

this is the larger nest that i made and shared in my last post...
it's a simple project where you basically just twist wire in circles to form a nest shape.

this tiny version is made the same way - with a lot less steps!

as for the nests, you'll need 12 to 14 gauge wire - @ 18" in length.
i used baling wire. silver & copper jewelry wire work well, too!

 wire cutter . needle nose pliers

a small bead - from an old necklace or new, as the 'egg' in the nest

an O-shaped jump ring (find in jewelry supply area at the craft store) 

1. pinch the wire end in the needle-nose pliers, and twist it into a tight 'O'.
spiral the wire two more times to create three concentric circles around that 'O'.

2. use your free hand to help guide/bend the wire as you add three more circles - 
make them a bit larger than the previous three.
as you coil them, raise each one a bit higher to form the 'sides' of the nest shape.

3. when you form the last circle, tuck the end of the wire between previous circle layers
to securely hold the nest's shape.

4. use the pliers to grab the end of the wire that's in the center of the nest - the end you started with -
and twist it so it angles upward in the middle of the nest.

5. slide a small bead (mine is an ovoid - egg-shaped - pearlized bead) onto that wire end.
if it does not fit tightly, remove it and add a drop of superglue,
then quickly slide the bead back onto the wire.

6. attach the jump ring to the top edge of the nest, for hanging.
you can see the jump ring clearly in the photo below...

 to attach the charm to a bracelet, just open the jump ring and fasten it through the chain.

to use the charm on a necklace,
thread a thin chain necklace, cord, or ribbon through the jump ring.

the black & white bakers' twine here is a modern touch...
when i was selling these, i put them on lengths of vintage seam binding ribbon.
a leather cord (or shoe lace!) works, as well as a silk cord.

a perfect presentation for this charm as a gift is to
make a small nest, line it with ribbon, then tuck a nest charm inside!

shared online:

funky junk interiors | diy salvaged junk projects #568


links to previous related posts:

wire nest tutorial

found item charm bracelet

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