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As any jewelry lovin' artsy craftsy gal knows, there's about a million ways to make jewelry - metal clay, beads, shrink plastic, polymer clay, soldered glass, fused glass, metalsmithing, nuts and bolts & bubble gum. OK. Maybe not the gum, but you get the idea that there's lotsa ways to make bling.
Just about all of the aforementioned methods for making jewelry call for incorporating some form of wire work on occasion, either to enhance the appearance or for function. It may be as simple as making a loopy bail, earring hooks or wrapping a stone, but wire has always been an important element of jewelry making. Wire even stands on it's own as a primary jewelry making medium. Take a look around your local craft store and you will find there are many kinds of wire and tools to make it do something funky.
OK. I do about every craft known to woman so why have I not got in to wire more? Well, because a lot of what I have been exposed to in craft and bead stores, while fun, is also semi gaudy or seems to be geared towards kids or casual looks that's just not me. However, I have stumbled on some truly inspiring wire work from a fellow Etsy artist that is elegant and creative. I just have to share some of this awesome work with you.
Here are some pieces from juliadesigns. Please visit her online store to be wowed further. She even offers tutorials so you can create some pieces for yourself:
I make fine silver jewelry. Fine silver is .999% pure silver. Sterling is .925. In the stores, pretty much all you can find is Sterling Silver findings. Since I want the metal content of my jewelry to remain pure as much as possible, I taught myself how to make my own findings including S hook clasps, toggle clasps, bails, jumprings, headpins, and earring wires. Eventually I started making larger quantities and wholesaling them to a local bead store. I also sell fine silver findings via my online bead store when I have enough.I think making findings is pretty fun so I would like to share one way to make french hook earring wires so you can have fun too. Now some of you might be thinking, "If you want to sell these, why would you tell people how to make them?" Well, I am banking on my theory that creative "do-ers" will always find a way to make something vs. buy it whether I tell 'em or not. And people who find this kind of thing tedious will continue to exercise the convenience of just buying what they need, and hopefully they will buy it from me sometimes. =o)How to make "Q-end" French Hook Earring Wires
Materials and Supplies20 Gauge Wire (copper, fine silver, sterling silver-dead soft or half hard)Flush CuttersLarge & Small Round Nose Pliers (Looping pliers)2 smooth surface pliersCup Bur (for rounding the end of the wire)Steel Bench BlockChasing HammerHearing Protection3/4" Wooden dowel or Foam Brush Handle (used as a mandrel to shape the hooks)Candy that's yummy Steps 1. Cut pair(s) of 2 1/4" pieces of wire with flush cutters.2. Secure each end of a piece of wire in smooth surface pliers and pull to stretch until strait.3. Hammer the one end (1/4" or so) of each wire flat on the steel block.4. Use the smallest end of the small round nose pliers to curl the flattened end into a loop.
5. Now switch to large round nose pliers. Grip the wire with the small loop on top of the pliers, facing you. Curl the strait end of the wire back, and up until it touches the little curl. 
6. Pound the hook you just formed flat at the point that is farthest from the little curl. Eat some candy to celebrate your progress! You are 1/2 way done.
7. Hold two wires together with the loops facing you, right next to each other. Use your thumb to press the wire to the dowel or wooden handle of the foam brush, holding them just above the curls.Push the straight wires around the dowel/handle until they almost come around and touch the curls. 
8. Use the flush cutters to even out the strait tails of the hooks. Ideally the back should be longer than the front curls. (I do 4 at a time)
9. Use the cup bur to round and smooth the end of the wires so they won't injure the wearer. Eat some candy to reward yourself for being a considerate jeweler!
10. Use the large round nose pliers to grasp the straight part of the wire about even with where the curl is on the other side. Curl the end to put in a gentle curve that will help the wearer put the earring on easily.
11. To give the wire more strength to hold it's shape, you will need to flatten the curve of the hook just before and after the part that will rest in the ear. Do NOT flatten the part that will be in the ear or it will become sharp which is dangerous and uncomfortable to wear.
You are done! Eat some candy! For extra shine you can tumble the ear wires, or for a vintage look, antique them with patina. There are many shapes, sizes and varieties of earring wires you can make. This is just a really fun and easy one that looks great!
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