Need a last minute Valentines Day present that’s meaningful but won’t empty your wallet? Need something more personal and unique than plain old flowers and chocolates? Well, then let’s make a DIY heart ring. Whether she wears it on her finger or near her heart as a charm, your loved one will appreciate this beautiful unique handcrafted gift. You can even scale it up and make a bracelet instead.
Materials for Valentine’s gift: DIY heart ring
- 18-20 gauge copper or silver wire. (Available at most craft stores)
- Mandrel, or appropriately sized round object (maybe a highlighter or a slim can if you are making a bracelet).
- Needle nose pliers
- Flat nose pliers
- Wire cutters
DIY heart ring: the first heart
1. Starting from the end of the wire, create a small loop using needle nose pliers. (This makes the heart look more fancy.) Loop the wire around another 180 degrees and you have the first half of the heart.
2. Bend the wire to make the bottom point of the heart, then repeat step 1 on the other side. (Refer to image above.) Now you have your first complete heart.
DIY heart ring: the rest of the hearts
3. Start building the second heart right next to the first one. Like before, make a full loop around the needle nosed pliers followed by another half loop. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until you have around 6 hearts. The actual number of hearts you need should be based on the size of her finger and the size of the hearts you made.
DIY heart ring: make the ring
4. When you’ve made an appropriate number of hearts, it’s now time to curve them into a ring. Wrap your hearts around a mandrel (or appropriate round cylinder). Connect the first heart to the last heart by threading the end of the wire through the first loop of the heart. Bend the wire to keep it in place and cut away the excess wire.
5. With the ring still on the mandrel, flatten the loops on each heart with flat nose pliers to smooth out each heart. If you are making a bracelet, you would be able to fit pliers around the hearts. Instead you can try to crush them on a hard surface. Just be sure to focus on the loops and not the bottom of the hearts, or you’ll bend them out of shape.
That’s it! You’ve handcrafted a beautiful Valentines Day gift that’s sure to steal your gf’s heart. <3
