Spiral Wire Pumpkin.

I LOVE WIRE!!

I have worked with wire for years. I have made all sorts of things from napkin rings (I will save those for a November post), flowers, jewelry, and even hanging candle lanterns using this stuff. I even made a buck or two in the past selling the things I made at my mom's craft booths. A good way to make some extra cash in high school and college. I haven't touched wire in a while and have not yet posted any wire ideas.

While at the downtown public library in September I saw a book called Halloween 101 Frightfully Good Ideas and knew right away I wanted to get my wire back out. Of cousre the book just says decorate with wire pretty much, so I wanted to give you more of tutorial than they did.


Yet again I almost didn't make the pumpkin project, but a new friend down at the Museum of Visual Materials was gracious enough to gift me an extra pumpkin so I could share this project with you. Thanks Jessica!

I must say that a spiral has to be my all time favorite shape. I use it for many things. Even my band's logo



But for now I want to show you how easy it is to work with wire and make this project.

What you need:
Spool of wire (I have always bought mine at Ace Hardware there are many gages I just grab one I think looks best, honestly I can't even tell yo what gage it is, I think maybe 5 or 7.)
Needle nose pliers
Wire cutter (sometimes the pliers has one built in this one does.)


First I want to teach you how to make a simple spiral.



Take your pliers and hold the end of the wire with the end of the pliers. Then hold the rest of the wire with your left hand. Start to twist the wire around the end of the pliers by twisting the players.



Once it is around the pliers you can either bend the rest by hand until your spiral is the way you want it, or reposition the pliers to the spot where the spiral ends for more leverage, then keep going. Snip off the end.


Now to make a spiral for the pumpkin you will do the same thing only add two steps. First step you will need to make a 90 degree bend in your wire. To do this place the wire further up on your pliers and then bend the wire over sideways.





Then you will place your pliers on the long part of the wire near the bend and start your spiral there.



Once you get the size you want leave a bit of wire extra and cut. Then bend this extra wire at a 90 degree angle as well so that it matches the beginning angle. The two ends should now be facing the correct direction to stick into your pumpkin.



You can make all kinds of shapes. Like a double spiral.



A spiral with an extra wiggle at the end.



I have even made treble clef shapes with the wire before. The possibilities are endless.

Then pop them into your pumpkin, and you are done! I just love spirals.



Have fun, get funky!