Make a Party Hat Cocktail Ring for New Year’s Eve

Cocktail rings were designed to look pretty on a lady’s hand while she’s holding a cocktail at parties. In other words, they’re perfect for New Year’s Eve! And there’s still time to make this one in time for your festivities.

This Party Hat Ring, created by Karen McGovern for Nunn Design, can be made to suit any style. Use crystal rondelles and a large crystal bead on the end for a blingy ring; mix metals and/or colored enameled metals like Karen did for an eclectic party-style ring, or use all silver- or gold-tone pieces for a more subtle, elegant design.

Party Hat Ring by Karen McGovern

I start by getting my ring components ready. I like texture, so I hammer my aluminum and brass discs on concrete or on a bench block till I get the look I want. For this ring, I hammered the 1-inch aluminum disc on concrete and the brass gear on a block.

Materials:

Nunn Design large round ornate adjustable ring
Nunn Design brass bead cap
3″ brass headpin with flat head
1″ aluminum disc1″ brass gear disc
3/4″ mesh disc
1/2″ brass gear hoop
1/4″ green enamel disc
blue enamel-dipped wire bundle
brass gear bead
enamel-tipped head pin
wood ring mandrel
wire snips
round-nose pliers
needle-nose pliers
Dremel or flex shaft with 1/16″ drill bit or metal hole punch
chasing hammer
dapping block
rubber hammer
needle file
Sharpie marker

Steps:

		1. Mark the center of the aluminum disc with a Sharpie. Drill or punch a 1/16″ hole in the center. Use the needle file to clean the hole and smooth the edges. 2. Dap the aluminum and brass discs in a dapping block to give a gentle curve.
		3. Create your enamel dangle by creating a basic loop wrap in the wire. 4. Open the adjustable ring enough so that you can drill through the center of the bezel and not hit the band. Place the ring on a wooden ring mandrel snugly. Drill a hole in the center of the bezel.
		5. Remove the ring from the mandrel and insert the brass head pin with the flat head on the inside of the ring. Readjust the ring band to whatever size you wish.
		6. Assemble your ring, sliding the aluminum disc, brass gear disc, mesh disc, gold hoop, enamel disc, wire bundle, gear bead and head pin.
		7. Hold tightly and create a simple loop on the brass headpin. Slide on your enamel head pin dangle and finish the loop, wrapping the wire tightly to the stack. Make sure the wire is snug, to hold the stack in place. Snip the end of the wire and tuck tightly into the wrap. File edges if necessary.

Tips: Have fun with this ring! Add more layers to the stack, more dangles on the top, whatever you can imagine! Buttons work well with this design, as do Chinese coins, flat lampwork glass beads, beach stones–anything with a good hole in the center. Make this as tall as you want, and go for color!!

–Karen

For more quick and fun ring-making projects of all styles, check out One-Hour Rings.

Karen’s Resources:

1″ aluminum disc: GottaGettaDeal www.etsy.com/shop/gottagettadeal
1″ brass gear and 3/4″ mesh disc: Jewelry Supply www.jewelrysupply.com
1/2″ brass gear hoop, 1/4″ green enamel disc, blue enamel wire bundle, brass gear bead, enamel head pin: Industrial Chic at Michaels

About the designer:
Karen McGovern is a member of the Nunn Design Innovation Team. She’s also an environmental jewelry artist who donates most of her proceeds to support wildlife conservation programs through the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation, RareSpecies.org.

Growing up in Florida wilderness shaped every aspect of Karen’s life, so a career in conservation biology was almost pre-destined. Her work allows her to travel to Caribbean islands, African savannas, and Mexican jungles–not to mention living every day with endangered parrots, primates, and African antelope in the 30+ acre wildlife preserve she calls home. Her work as an artist and jewelry designer directly reflects her deep respect for nature and passion to preserve creatures living wild in the world. Karen is an avid collector of the unusual and prefers to use mixed media, recycled or repurposed elements in her work such as reclaimed metals (copper and brass pipe and sheet), sterling silver, and all manner of found objects including bone, fur, antiquities, and botanicals. You can learn more about Karen and her work at Beadkeepers.com, “Where ART and the ENVIRONMENT Meet.”