Daily Blogs : wire bracelet

How to Use a Coiling Tool

Erin Carey — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 03:00:00 GMT

Scenario #187 in the life of a busy, creative (somewhat forgetful) person: Go to the fabric store to pick up buttons, wander over to the tools section for a look-see, find a tool I know I’ve lost, purchase, bring home, and… place it next to the one that has magically reappeared. Ah, yessiree… I seem to be a one-woman economic stimulus package with all the tool doubles I have around here. Why don’t I return them? Well, like my Irish father used to say you never know when guests will show up. Geez… I could throw a raucous jewelry-making party with the number of oddball wire jigs, hammers, and pliers I have laying around here!


		The most recent tool I doubled up on is this handy little crank shaft mechanism used for coiling wire. It’s a simple tool, but so handy. In the old days I formed wire coils by wrapping a thin-gauge wire around a thick-gauge one, but this is faster and easier. It comes with two rod thicknesses, 2mm and 3mm, allowing for different-sized coils. Here’s how you use it:

		1) Wrap 20-gauge or thinner wire around the crank’s loop. Here I’m using 24-gauge; I keep it attached to the spool as I work to reduce flying wire and to give me the option of forming a longer coil if I like.

		2) Slide the shaft into the bracket through the holes that correspond to the shaft’s thickness. Hold the tool so the thumb of your non-dominant hand pins the loose wire against the bracket. This will add tension to ensure a neat, tight coil.

		3) Use your dominant hand to rotate the shaft, turning it slowly to get the coil started.

		4) Keep turning the crank, with your thumb in place to ensure the wire revolutions touch each other, to form as long a coil as you wish. Remove the shaft from the bracket.

		5) Remove the spiral from the shaft. Now the fun begins! You could cut this coil up into tiny spacer coils... or longer cylinder beads... slide a wire through it to make links... use it to embellish a handmade S clasp... there are many possibilites.

		6) Here I wrapped the straight wires at the ends of the coil around the wider coiling shaft, then wrapped the coil around the shaft, too, to make a spirally thingamabob.

		7) Then I wrapped the thingamabob around a big resin bead and locked everything in place with a steel wire with simple loops at each end.

Excited about this technique, but wondering how to use it? Get an eyeful in the bead and jewelry section of the Interweave Store. You’ll find dozens of innovative projects like Sara Graham’s Vineyard Coils Bracelet, Marie Carter’s All Wrapped Up ring design, or the Sandy Lanterns Bangle by Kerry Bogert.

Do you have any coiling tips or ways you use coils that we might all like to know about? (And come on…tell me which tools you have multiples of!) Share your comments below!

Make Your Own Summer Memories Charm Bracelet

Michelle M. — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:24:00 GMT

Have you ever really stopped to look closely at someone’s charm bracelet? Have you ever wondered what inspired them to pick certain charms? Maybe they picked them up on vacations they’ve taken. Maybe they have a theme throughout the bracelet. Or maybe it’s an eclectic mix of hearts, stars, or flowers....(read more)

Free Project: Modern Wire and Crystal Bracelet

Michelle M. — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:39:00 GMT

Before I learned to make my own jewelry, I almost never wore bracelets because my wrist wasn't the "typical" size carried in stores. Bangles and cuffs, with their one-size-fits-many styling, were the exception. Two of my favorite cuff bracelets are in the book Wire Style and suprisingly, both are by the same designer, Jodi L. Bombardier. ...(read more)

Transform an Ordinary Wire Bracelet into a Pretty Pendant

Michelle M. — Fri, 08 May 2009 10:25:00 GMT

Have you ever used one of those wire bangle bracelets with loops around the edges? They're usually silver and come in several diameters with 16 rings or loops. Typically, people will attach beads or charms to the rings using wrapped loops. I did this myself with my Gypsy Magic project for Creative Jewelry last year. While I liked my finished bracelet, I felt that the bangle form was rather limiting. Other than attaching wrapped loops or wrapping wire around the bangle form, there really wasn't much else you could do with it, right? ...(read more)

Six Steps to Perfect Wrapped Loops

Michelle M. — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:43:00 GMT

Memory Tricks for Beading

Like you, I’ve taken classes of all sorts over the years. Most teachers use memory techniques to help you remember lists or a process. For instance, my piano teacher used the acronym (E)very (G)ood (B)oy (D)oes (F)ine so I could remember the lines of the treble clef; in 10th grade typing class I learned the pangram “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog;” when my daughter learned to tie her shoes we sang SpongeBob’s "Loop Dee Loop" song; and in college the ne’er-do-wells who tore me away from my studies taught me “Over the lips and through the gums, watch out stomach, here it comes.”

These learning techniques are beneficial in jewelry-making, too. I remember walking down a hallway at Interweave’s BASH beading retreat in Estes Park, Colorado a long time ago and listening to wireworker Mark Lareau (author of All Wired Up and Getting Started Making Metal Jewelry) do the same thing—as I recall, he was using sound effects to the great delight of his students. And I know Joyce Scott has some pretty colorful imagery to explain peyote stitch increases and decreases.

This is what’s great about taking classes, isn’t it? Gathering tips and techniques from the pros--things you might not run across when working on your own—helps eliminate little technique obstacles so you can move on to bigger and better things in the future.

The Wrapped Loop Doo-Wop

Many of my class projects include both bead stitching and wirework and I find many off-loom-centric students aren’t that confident about their wirework skills. Most beadworkers could benefit from attending one of the many classes at Bead Fest Wire in Pennsylvania May 1-3, 2009. (I don’t even have to mention how much fun it would be for a wireworker; there are classes for every level of jewelry maker!) One technique that’s especially troublesome is the wrapped loop, so I think it’s high time we come up with a little memory technique for it, don’t you?

Make an L . . .
(Use chain-nose pliers to make a 90˚ bend about 1/4" from the top of the bead.)

And make a C . . .
(Using round-nose pliers, shape the wire over the top jaw to form a partial loop.)

Swing it under, tweedly dee . . .
(Move the pliers so you grasp the loop with the bottom jaw, and swing the wire under the loop so it crosses the neck.)

Wrap it tight all down the neck . . .
(Use chain-nose pliers (or your fingers) to wrap the wire in a tight coil down the neck.)

Trim it close . . .
(Flush cut the wire close to the coil.)

And squeeze like heck!
(Use crimping pliers to round out the coil, tucking in the tail wire.)

What do you think of that? Let me know on the website, and while you’re at it, share your bead-technique rhymes, ditties, and acronyms.

Free eBook
Making Wire Jewelry: 6 Free Wire Designs from Beading Daily

Create 6 stunning wire jewelry projects (2 wire necklaces, a wire bracelet, 2 pairs of wire earrings, and a wire ring) with this free eBook that contains step by step wire jewelry instructions for each project. Jewelry designs range in difficulty from beginner to intermediate and use a variety of wire work techniques, including spirals, coiling, wirewrapping, hammering, and twisting wire. Download Making Wire Jewelry: 6 Free Wire Designs from Beading Daily

Jean Campbell writes about beading and life every Wednesday on Beading Daily. If you have comments or questions for Jean, please post them on the website.

Create an Artsy Pinwheel Necklace

Michelle M. — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:07:00 GMT

Have you ever created a necklace with more than one focal bead? When I saw Katie Hacker's free Perfect Pinwheels necklace from Beadwork, I admired how she managed to use more than one large bead in her asymmetrical necklace. While I've combined smaller beads together to make larger pendants, I've never used multiple large focal beads in a single design. The key seems to be to use two different sizes of focals if you are placing them next to one another. Otherwise, spread them out throughout the necklace for balance....(read more)

3 Quick Tips for Dealing with Wire Warts

Michelle M. — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:30:00 GMT

If you're going to rate pesky problems in wire work, this one rates pretty high. Yes, wire warts are just what you think: those nasty little marks on the wire made with your pliers. After putting your best creative and technical skills into your design, it is so frustrating to see those unwanted and unintended marks! What can you do about it? ...(read more)

How to Finish (or Start!) Viking Knit

Michelle M. — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:29:00 GMT

Last weekend I took a break from my beads and tried my hand at Viking Knit, a type of wirework that creates beautiful wire cords that you can fashion into bracelets and necklaces. For months, I've been admiring some Viking knit bracelets the same way I admire a wonderful painting: Wow, I wish I could do that. ...(read more)

Create Oxidized Wire Post Earrings

Michelle M. — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:32:00 GMT

Some days (OK, most days) you amaze me! In the Reader Showcase area of the forums, I was blown away by Australian member Huan Pham who created the beautiful wireworked seahorse pictured here. Isn't it amazing? View the larger photo in the forums if you want to be impressed by his precise wirewrapping skills!...(read more)

The ABCs of Oxidizing Jewelry

Michelle M. — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:44:00 GMT

I don’t remember when I first became aware of sterling silver jewelry that was purposely NOT shiny. When I think of the hours I’ve spent over the years trying to shine up my sterling pieces! I bought every chemical, every cloth, every dip I saw that promised my jewelry would come out looking like new....(read more)

Create a Perfect Wire Spiral: Free Video Class

Michelle M. — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 04:51:00 GMT

Along with simple loops, the spiral was the first wire technique I learned. In fact, my mom still wears a pair of earrings that I created back then with 8mm black rounds and a silver spiral dangle. (I try not to cringe when I see them--my technique has greatly improved since then!)...(read more)

How to Wire Knit with a Knitting Spool

Michelle M. — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 06:41:00 GMT

If you’re like me, when someone asks you to make a piece of jewelry for them you automatically go to beads, findings, wire, and thread. But after reading through Elements of Style, I think I’ll open my mind a little wider next time. ...(read more)

Free Wire Spiral Earrings, Plus New Reader Gallery

Michelle M. — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 10:40:00 GMT

What makes a piece of jewelry a "winter" design? Is it jewelry type? I hardly ever create bracelets for winter because I know they'll just be buried under miles of sweaters and jackets. ...(read more)

Learn to Create Wire Jewelry on a Budget

Michelle M. — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 05:40:00 GMT

One of the things I love most about jewelry is the diversity it affords (no pun intended!). Sure, I drool over the Tiffany’s catalogs, and gawk at the windows in the Diamond District when I’m in New York City. But my favorite pieces of jewelry contain no gold and no precious stones. Instead, they’re made from rubber tubing, scrap fabric, lampwork beads, copper, steel, and craft wire....(read more)

How to Create a Wire Bail for a Marble

Michelle M. — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:56:00 GMT

I was cleaning the other day and ran across a bag of marbles. My kids used to run them through these elaborate Rube Goldberg-style obstacle courses they’d create with stuff around the house, the course ending with a little “ting!” against a miniature gong. It brought back a really nice memory. “Wouldn’t it be nice to wear this memory?” I thought. But alas, no hole for stringing. ...(read more)