MATERIALS

The materials we're going to need for our wire rings are: 0.80 millimeter (20 gauge) wire. 0.30 mm (28 gauge) wire. Five units of 5-millimeter tupis. Flat-tipped pliers and round-tipped pliers. Cutting pliers. Silicone tip smoothing pliers. Mandrel with the measurement of the desired ring.

Step 1: WIRE RINGS

Let's begin by making our wire rings. The first thing we're going to do is cut 40 centimeters of the 0.80 mm wire. We'll hold it with our flat-tipped pliers and smooth it.

If we don't have smoothing pliers, we can use a cotton or wool cloth, or anything you may have but try to smooth it because this will not only remove any imperfections from the wire, but also heating it makes it more malleable.

Then we'll the mandrel we use for our rings and place the wire in the center, and then we'll start turning one end to one side and the other to another side, and once we've done this with the entire wire, we remove it from the mandrel.

Step 2: CALCULATING TO PLACE THE TUPIS

CALCULATING TO PLACE THE TUPIS

Now we need to calculate where to place the tupis. I need 2 centimeters on the front, for which we'll lift the wire on one side and the other and then make a hoop with the round tipped plier on both sides, one side and the other from one side to the other it should be two centimeters. From the tips, make a hoop, with the round pliers press where you measured to make the hoop.

Now I'll twist the entire thing, and hold it again and then calculate bearing in mind the 2 centimeters reference. I'll lift that end and clip the tip a bit, if necessary take the round pliers and make another loop. Now we have two hoops. Then we take the flat-tipped plier and make an inwards loop, placing it in the direction of the ring's spirals, so they face each other at a distance.

HOW TO PLACE THE TUPIS CRYSTALS

To place the Tupis, we'll cut 60 centimeters of 0.30 millimeter wire, hold the ring, and begin rotating the wire at the beginning of one of the hoops, and turn it 5 times.

Then thread the 5 tupis. Once this is done, take the entire thing and try to join it and then cross it over this way. If you notice that the Tupi's are too close together then take a plier and move the ring backwards a bit. Once it's adjusted we interlock the wire and thread the Tupi in the other ring, then we pass the wire with the Tupis through the ring again and re-thread the Tupis.

Step 3: ARRANGING THE RINGS

ARRANGING THE RINGS

Once threaded we take the end we pulled with our pliers and pull it through the side. Once we reach the other end, we'll start arranging our rings and thread them with the thin wire to join them. We'll hold it with a flat point plier so it'll look uniform, and then do 4 to 5 turns.

Once it's there, we go over the top again and then turn it around and go down. To reach the first tupi we go under. Then for the second tupi we go under and then we proceed to the third between each, then we continue to the next one and reach the edge of the last one. We thread the wire and then with a flat plier we make sure our wire is well aligned and neat and then we pass our wire to hold them. We'll do this it at least 5 times and then adjust.

Step 4: FINISHING THE PIECE

We've been turning it in one direction. Now we're going to turn it in the opposite direction. Once we move in the opposite direction we'll form a 'v', that's the idea. We keep making turns between the tupis and forming a 'v' every time we go between the tupis, on the last turn, which is 3, we'll notice this shape more.

Now we'll try turning it upwards and hold it there and then cut the wire. We'll roll it so it'll cut. With this, we'll conclude the ring with the tupis already placed on it.