With all tools and materials gathered, allow about an hour to make your first bug. Its a no-rush endeavor. Process knowledge acquired, the second bug will be more enjoyable and likely take half as long to complete. Consider gathering enough materials to make more than one bug so you have room for error. There are three phases. Each is a bit more challenging:
1. Head
2. Front Legs
3. Body & Back Legs

If you are rushed for time, consider building in four sittings:
Head . . . Front Legs . . . Torso . . . Back Legs


1. Head
Cut a 6 inch length of wire
Fold it in half tightly to form tongue loop.
Insert both strands through the head bead and pull snuggly leaving
1/4 inch for the tongue at the front of the bead.

Pull wire at the back of the head between fingers to remove any binds or kinks.

Fold up both strands tightly against the back of the bead.


At 3/8 inch, fold both strands down at the same time to form ears of equal height.


Fold at the base of the ears, so that the strands extend straight back from tongue.
Fold ears apart at about 45°.


Hold the back side of the ears with flat-nose pliers.
Using another pair of flat-nose pliers, twist 3 times.

(This is about the only time you need flat-nose pliers in each hand.)

Twist one ear 1 complete turn so that it faces forward.
Twist the other ear 1 complete turn in the opposite direction. (a)

Fold the strands apart (b) and then wrap around spine. Overlap at the back of the spine so that the strands can be twisted. Grip at the overlap with flat-nose pliers and twist 3 times while pulling snug toward back of spine. (The head is snug, not floppy when done.) Trim ends of strands about 1/8 inch behind twist and fold down toward the spine.



2. Front Legs

Cut a 9 inch length of wire. Fold it loosely in half.
Position the fold over the spine about 1/2 to 3/4 inch down from where the head is attached. (a)

Wrap one of the strands around spine 2 times tightly. (b)
Hold strands with flat-nose pliers and twist 3 times tightly so that wrapping grips the spine.

Fold strands straight to opposing sides.
(Pull wire straight between fingers to remove kinks.)
Add bugle and/or seed beads.
Using flat-nose pliers, bend down at sharp right angle to tightly form the shoulders.
(A sharp bend helps keep small beads from slipping around the corner and down to the knees.)

Using the cardboard spacer tool that you made, form each knee:
Position the leg on the bottom of the tool's wire and wrap from bottom-to-top-to-bottom (360°).

After forming both knees pull the spacer tool's wire from the tool.
Trim strands equally at 2 inches.


3. Body & Back Legs
This is the most challenging phase and a good time to consider taking a break before you begin.
Cut an 18 inch length of wire. Fold loosely in half. (a)
Wrap twice snuggly behind the wraps of the front leg wire with strands extending up. (b)
Twist tightly 2 times (c)—the direction does not matter—and fold to opposing sides. (d)
(Pull wire straight between fingers to remove kinks.)
For each strand, use your flat-nose pliers to make a tight right angle bend toward the tail at about 3/16 inch from spine. (The length of this bend should be such that the long blue beads leave about 1/16 inch between them and the spine as they ride parallel to spine.) A sharp bend will keep small beads from moving around the corner.
Add seed beads as shown and make a tight bend at back of the bead group . . . Snugging them to the front in such a way that they are not loose and do not slide from front to back. Use flat-nose pliers to make this bend.
Keeping left and right body bead groups parallel to the spine, wrap both strands around the spine twice—alternating wraps of the left strand and the right strand.

Hold strands with flat-nose pliers and twist 3 times tightly so that the wire wrapping grips the spine.

The back legs are formed just like the front legs:

Add bugle beads or seed beads or a combination.
Using flat-nose pliers, bend down at sharp right angle to tightly form the shoulders.
(A sharp bend helps keep small beads from slipping around the corner and down to the knees.)


Using the cardboard spacer tool that you made, form each knee, position the leg on the bottom of the tool's wire and wrap counter-clockwise (360°).

After forming both knees pull the spacer tool's wire from the tool freeing both knees.
Without the spacer tool, simply measure down from each shoulder and mark the leg prior to forming knees.

Trim strands equally at 2 inches.

If, on a flat surface, your bug does not sit level, trim leg lengths until level.


Use flat or needle-nose pliers to loop the end of each leg about 1/8 inch to the inside.


Form each heel by folding each foot forward.

Fine tune the bug's stance by adjusting bends at knee, shoulder and head.

First bug complete.
Part 3 highlights a few issues related to wire work and suggests additional detailing options.