DIY Network

Pearl Hair Comb by Gail-Ann Bradshaw Krieger From "Jewelry Making" episode DJMK-405

Guest Gail-Ann Bradshaw Krieger shows you how to create elegant combs to wear in your hair or use in a veil for your wedding.

Materials --

Metal hair comb, silver (or black to match hair color) 3-1/2" for this project
6' wire, 28-gauge galvanized or silver
10 pearls, 8mm, cultured fresh water
14 light blue 6mm faceted crystal rounds
10 leaf-shaped glass beads, opalescent white finish, 6mm
120 small, 2mm, fresh water pearls
Needle nose pliers (and scissors if pliers do not have a wire cutter)

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1. Cut a 3' piece of wire and securely wrap on the end around the edge of your hair comb (figure A).

2. First Loop: On the comb, string three tiny pearls, one blue crystal, one tiny pearl, one blue crystal and three tiny pearls. Wrap this section around the top of your comb and through the next tooth of the comb.

3. Second Loop: String four tiny pearls, one "leaf" bead and four tiny pearls. Wrap this section around the top of your comb and through the next tooth of the comb (figure B).

4. Repeat steps 2 and 4 until the length of the comb is fully beaded between each tooth (figure C).

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

Tips:

• The beads never go through the teeth of the comb. You need to use beads that are wide enough to stop themselves at the teeth.

• Continue to wrap the wire tightly around the comb to keep the beads in place as you add them, then feed the wire between the next tooth.

• If your comb has widely spaced teeth, you might wrap the beaded wire twice between each tooth.

Figure D

Add the Pearls

1. Cut 3" of wire, tightly fold over one end to create a "head" to hold the large pearl in place.

   Note: You can use needle nose pliers to make a tiny loop and then pinch the loop flat. You may also use a ready-made headpin.

2. Add a large pearl and two or three tiny pearls onto the wire.

3. Starting at one end of the comb, thread the "pearled" wire under the beaded wire and wrap it around between the teeth.

4. Pull it tight so that the pearls do not show any bare ware.

5. Tightly wrap the end of the "head pin" with pearls around your comb, and secure the end by wrapping it twice around the wire between the large and small pearls. Trim any excess wire after wrapping it twice.

6. Repeat steps 6 - 10, evenly spacing your larger pearl additions the length of the comb. On its own the comb is stunning, but you can attach a veil (figure D) to the comb for an elegant wedding piece.

GUESTS :

Gail-Ann Bradshaw Krieger
Owner
Girls Against Boredom
E-mail: info@GirlsAgainstBoredome.com
Website: www.GirlsAgainstBoredom.com