fifffflffiflfifflffi ffiffiffl Step-by-Step Illustrated Techniques, Tools, and Inspiration fifffflffiffffiffl WIRE -WRAPPED JEWELRY FOR BEGINNERS Lora S. Irish
Contents 8 Chapter 1: Materials 9 Wire 12 Tools 20 Beads 21 Chapter 2: Getting Started 22 Wire-Wrapping Terms and Structure 27 Varying Visual Effects with One Bent-Wire Link 28 Basic Bent-Wire Shapes 32 Technique 1: Forming Bent-Wire Links 41 Wrapping Basics 42 Chapter 3: Techniques General Wrapping 43 Technique 2: Tightly Packed Wrapping 45 Technique 3: Loosely Packed Wrapping 47 Technique 4: Cluster Wrap 48 Technique 5: Random Loose Wrap Working with Beads 50 Technique 6: Random Loose Beaded Wrap 52 Technique 7: Wire-Wrapped Caged Beads 54 Technique 8: Wire-Wrapped Bead Dangles 56 Technique 9: Adding Beads to Wrapping Wire 58 Technique 10: Wire-Wrapped Bead Clusters 60 Technique 11: Wrapping with a Beaded Wire
Wrapping Patterns 62 Technique 12: Working a Wrapping Pattern 64 Technique 13: Wrapping Patterns with Multiple Arms 66 Technique 14: Adding Beads to a Wrapping Pattern 68 Technique 15: Woven Wrapping Patterns 70 Technique 16: Wrapping with a Coil Adding Elements 72 Technique 17: Adding a Coil Element 74 Technique 18: Adding Half-Circle Coil Elements 75 Technique 19: Adding a Bent Loop 76 Technique 20: Adding Multiple Bent Loops 77 Technique 21: Adding a Beaded Wire 78 Technique 22: Adding a Looped Wire 79 Technique 23: Embellishing Decorative Loops Securing and Adding Arms 80 Technique 24: Securing Free-Floating Arms 81 Technique 25: Adding a Bending Wire 82 Technique 26: Adding Multiple Bending Wires 83 Technique 27: Separately Securing Wire Arm Ends Special Techniques 84 Technique 28: Wrapping Sequential Layers 85 Technique 29: Hiding Securing Wires with Beads 86 Technique 30: Filling a Space 87 Chapter 4: Projects 88 Sunset Pendant 93 Snail Trail Necklace 97 Technique Quick Reference 102 About the Author 103 Index Snail Trail Necklace, page 93 Sunset Pendant, page 88 Technique 20, page 76
8 Wire-Wrapped Jewelry for Beginners Materials Wire, of course, is the main material needed for any wire-wrapped jewelry project. For the projects and samples in this book, I have used copper wire as the main link wire. A few essential tools are needed to create bent-wire links and to add wire-wrapped accents. A basic toolkit will include wire cutters, straight pliers, round-nose pliers, nylon-grip pliers, and some kind of file; there are also a lot of additional specialty tools that can come in handy. In addition, a variety of beads can add colorful accents to wire-wrapped jewelry. With this collection of basic items, you will be able to make amazing creations. Read on for all the nitty-gritty details about wire, tools, and beads. Chapter 1
Wire 9 Wire Jewelry wire comes in a variety of metals and coated metals, such as gold-filled, gold-plated, sterling silver, silver-plated, brass, colored copper, copper, and color-coated aluminum. Wire is measured by gauge, where the higher the gauge, the thinner the diameter of the wire. For making links, use thick gauges from 12 (very thick) to 18 (less thick). Wrapping wires are normally worked using thinner gauges, from 20 (thin) to 24 (very thin). Copper wire is a favorite for modern bent-link jewelry and wire-wrapped jewelry. Available in round, half-round, and square, it is easy to bend and form into almost any shape. It’s also great for the beginner and intermediate jewelry crafter because it is inexpensive and available in a wide range of color coatings. Throughout this book, we will be using copper wire; however, any technique taught in this book can be worked with any metal wire.
12 Wire-Wrapped Jewelry for Beginners Tools WIRE CUTTERS Several kinds of wire cutters can serve different purposes. If you only have a budget for one wire cutter, make it a flush cutter. 1 The inner face of a flush cutter is V-shaped to create a sharp cutting edge. The outer face is flush, which leaves a flat, smooth cut on the end of the wire. Plus, the fine tips of a flush cutter allow you to reach into tight spaces. These cutters leave the cleanest, flattest end cut to a wire. 2 The outer face of an end cutter is curved so that only the cutting edge touches the wire. This tool allows you to clip the wrapped loops parallel to the main wire. 3 Side cutters are heavy-duty cutting tools, able to handle thick-gauge wire, like 16-gauge and thicker, easily. The flat, outer side of a pair of flush cutters is placed against the jewelry piece, with the V-shaped inner cutting edge facing away from the finished project. Side cutters have a very deep V-shape on the inner cutting edge. The outer edge also carries this V-shape. The final cut will carry the V-shape and may need extra sanding to smooth the cut wire end. 1 2 3
Tools 13 STRAIGHT PLIERS Straight pliers ensure you keep a firm grip on the wire you’re working with. You should have a pair of chain-nose pliers as well as a pair of bent-nose pliers. 4 Chain-nose pliers are available with smooth inner gripping surfaces or finely textured inner surfaces that give greater gripping power. Be careful, though: textured inner surfaces can leave fine scratches on the wire. 5 This particular pair of chain-nose pliers includes a handy side cutter at the base of the pliers’ arms, allowing it to do double duty. 6 Bent-nose pliers have special curved noses that allow them to get into tight, hard-to-reach areas. Like chain-nose pliers, they are available with smooth or textured gripping surfaces. The flat inner surface of any pair of straight pliers allows you to create crisp, angular bends, like the right-angle bend shown here. Bent-nose pliers have curved noses that can allow for a more flexible grip and angle of approach for tricky wraps. 4 5 6
Getting Started 21 Chapter 2 Getting Started I n this chapter, we will review basic wire-wrapping terms and link structure, how you can use a single bent-wire link to create vastly different finished wrapped links, and the basic wire shapes you can use to create bent-wire links. We’ll also learn the first of the 30 techniques offered in this book: how to form four basic bent-wire links to get you thinking about the multitude of links you can use as a base for your wrapped jewelry. Then we’ll quickly take a look at some wrapping basics. Once you’ve gone through this chapter, you’ll be totally prepped to tackle all the awesome wrapped links in Chapter 3.
22 Wire-Wrapped Jewelry for Beginners Wire-Wrapping Terms and Structure Any design can use multiple wire-wrapping techniques. To create a piece, you may use several wrapping wires and a variety of beads added to either the link or the wrapping wire. So let’s begin by looking at one teardrop hoop wire-wrapped link to visualize just a few of the possibilities that you can use in your jewelry craft. Each of the different terms shown in this diagram will be explored throughout the course of this book. But this single example, along with a structural breakdown on the following pages, will give you a good basic vocabulary to get started. bent-wire link loosely packed coils spacer bead random loose coils weaving pattern trim and crimp point tightly packed coils wire-wrapped bead links bead added to wrapping wire wrapping wire looped wire element link arm secured free-floating arm added bending wires bead dangle
28 Wire-Wrapped Jewelry for Beginners Basic Bent-Wire Shapes Any bent-wire link can be broken down into a small set of individual shapes. How these shapes are arranged relative to one another determines the type of finished link you create. These basic shapes include simple and wrapped loops, sharp angles, U-shaped bends, full circles, spirals, and more. To create any link, you will need wire, nylon-grip pliers, chain-nose pliers, roundnose pliers, bent-nose pliers, and flush cutters. To get started, here is one example of how just a couple of basic shapes can turn into a link. This simple heart-shaped bent-wire link is the core of both the earrings and necklace shown on this page. To make this heart link, cut a 6" to 7" (15.5 to 17.5cm) length of 18-gauge wire. Roll both ends of the link around a 3/4" (2cm) form to create the half-circle and threequarters circle of the top of the heart. Hold the wire with round-nose pliers at the center point and roll the wire around the pliers’ tip to create the turn-back loop. The central heart-shaped link in this set of earrings has one free-floating bending wire added with wire wrapping. As the wrapping is worked, a bent loop is created to hold the earring hook and a bead is added to the wrapping wire in the top middle of the heart. For this necklace, one wrapping wire is added to the basic heart-shaped link to create the two bent loops that hold the necklace leather, to add two beads, and to secure the added free-floating bending wire.
Basic Bent-Wire Shapes 29 16 BASIC SHAPES This is not an exhaustive list of all the basic shapes you can make with wire, but it’s pretty close. (For example, the half-circle and the three-quarters circle used to form the heart on page 28 aren’t included on this list.) 1. Simple side loop. The simple side loop, frequently shortened to “simple loop” in this book, is often the connecting ring at the beginning or end of a wire or bead link. 2. Simple straight loop. The simple straight loop centers a bead on the working wire. 3. Wrapped side loop. The wrapped side loop provides added strength. 4. Wrapped straight loop. The wrapped straight loop locks beads or a link in place. 5. Right angle bend. The right angle bend creates a crisp, sharp turn in the wire. 1 2 3 4 5
Snail Trail Necklace 93 Snail Trail Necklace Snail Trail is wrapped starting from the center simple loop and following the spiral arm to the outer lower right edge. As the wrapping wire is worked, several techniques are used to add bead decorations. Supplies • 14-gauge copper wire for the bent-wire link • 20-gauge copper wire for wrapping wire • 7 turquoise 4mm x 8mm rondelle beads • 16 light blue 3mm faceted glass beads • 1 turquoise 16mm x 24mm flat oval bead • 2 copper 10mm split rings • 20" (51cm) of 2mm copper chain • 1 lobster claw clasp
94 Wire-Wrapped Jewelry for Beginners 1 Using 14-gauge copper wire, create a three-turn open spiral link that measures 1 3/4" (4.5cm) wide. Hammer the link to flatten the wire. Cut a 30" (76cm) length of 20-gauge copper wire. Secure the wrapping wire to the link at the center of the inner simple loop with several tightly packed coils. 2 Add one rondelle bead to the wrapping wire, positioning it inside the spiral arm. Bring the wrapping wire to the next outer spiral curve of the link. Make two loosely wrapped coils. 3 Add a new rondelle bead to the wrapping wire. Position this bead on the inside of the spiral arm. Secure it with one loosely packed coil on the spiral arm. Repeat until a total of five beads have been worked. End with a total of four loosely packed coils. 4 Work three tightly packed coils at the top of the spiral arm. Hold the link in the tip of a pair of bent-nose pliers. Roll the wrapping wire over the pliers’ tip to create a bent loop. Secure the bent loop with three tightly packed coils.
Technique Quick Reference 97 Technique Quick Reference TECHNIQUE 1: Forming Bent-Wire Links page 32 TECHNIQUE 6: Random Loose Beaded Wrap page 50 TECHNIQUE 2: Tightly Packed Wrapping page 43 TECHNIQUE 7: Wire-Wrapped Caged Beads page 52 TECHNIQUE 3: Loosely Packed Wrapping page 45 TECHNIQUE 4: Cluster Wrap page 47 TECHNIQUE 5: Random Loose Wrap page 48
98 Wire-Wrapped Jewelry for Beginners TECHNIQUE 8: Wire-Wrapped Bead Dangles page 54 TECHNIQUE 9: Adding Beads to Wrapping Wire page 56 TECHNIQUE 10: Wire-Wrapped Bead Clusters page 58 TECHNIQUE 11: Wrapping with a Beaded Wire page 60 TECHNIQUE 12: Working a Wrapping Pattern page 62
ISBN: 978-1-4971-0313-9 9 7 8 1 4 9 7 1 0 3 1 3 9 EAN 5 1 2 9 9 $12.99 US WIRE -WRAPPED JEWELRY FOR BEGINNERS Lora S. Irish “It may take practice to get as good as Irish . . . but it will surely be worth it.” —BRISTOL HERALD COURIER “[Lora] takes you through the basics... and then sets you on the path to designing your own pieces right away so you can free your inner jewelry artist.” —CRAFT GOSSIP “If you are interested in designing jewelry using wire‑wrapping techniques, then [Lora Irish’s book] is a must.” —NIGHTOWLREVIEWS.COM With your favorite jewelry wire, learn 30 different techniques that can be used in countless combinations to form necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. Featuring easy-tofollow tutorials, you’ll learn techniques for wire wrapping, working with beads, wrapping patterns, adding elements, securing and adding arms, and other special techniques. Internationally renowned artist and best-selling author Lora S. Irish shows you how to use a handful of tools and materials to produce fun and elegant pieces simply by learning the basic steps. Experiment with color, new shapes, and combining elements to enhance your wardrobe with pieces that are truly your own! Also included is a userfriendly quick technique reference guide, plus two step-by-step projects to get you started and inspire your creativity. A Simple Beginner’s Guide to Learning Jewelry Techniques