Crafts Beautiful

It's amazing how a dinner table can be given an instant touch of class, just by adding something simple like fabric napkins. The effect can be enhanced further by fastening them with these beautiful beaded rings, designed to look like silvery twigs decorated with bright berries. Despite their intricate appearance, they are easy to make, and you can experiment with different colour schemes to make a set that will suit your décor.

Napkin Rings

From the green craft wire cut, using the pliers, a length that is two layers of the coil. Do not straighten, but tighten the coil by placing it around something that has a 5cm diameter. Next, thread beading wire with assorted beads and pearls, distributing the pink and silver gems evenly along. The beaded wire needs to be slightly longer than the green craft coil.

Secure one end of the beaded wire by twisting it around a couple of times to one end of the craft wire, then wrap it along the coil, securing the other end in the same manner. To make the beaded ends of the napkin rings, cut a length of silver wire, 50cm long. Onto the centre of this, thread on five of the smallest beads, bend the wire in half and then twist the two wires tightly together underneath the beads so that the beads form a tiny circle.

Carry on twisting the wire together to form a stem 2cm long. At this point, open out the two wires and thread on another five beads onto just one of them. Bend the wire over again to form a circle of beads, 2cm away from the twisted ends and then twine the wires together until you meet the first stem.

Carry on twisting the wires together to form more stem and then divide the strands and make another three bead circles and stems. Draw the wires together and thread on a larger bead. Attach by wrapping the wires around one end of the coil. Repeat the above process and attach another beaded end to the remaining end of the wire coil.