Your First Wire Jewelry Making Project!

re: Your First Wire Jewelry Making Project!

cafay1 — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 00:59:08 GMT

I made a u shape interlocking component and added beads to it. I just gave it to my daughter-in-law to wear Valentines Day and she loved it. This is a beautiful bracelet I would be proud to wear.

re: Your First Wire Jewelry Making Project!

Dita Basu — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:01:08 GMT

I think my very first wire work project was a wrapped loop earring where I had eight or nine loops before I finished. I was so happy making more and more loops. The neater the better.

Then I learned to make those Egyptian coils and I had a phase with that. Then I learned to make the Herring bone wire wrap technique from Eni Oken's free tutorial and spent awhile with that.

I am still in the process of perfecting my skill, I don't know which one was my starting point !

Dita from

www.alankarshilpa.blogspot.com

www.alankarshilpa.etsy.com

re: Your First Wire Jewelry Making Project!

Kat Clark — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:48:44 GMT

I do remember my first wire design. You know how they say "necessity is the mother of invention"? I had to design a project to teach at a store that needed a wire working class. I sat down with a pile of beads, a couple of spools of wire, my tools, and I went to work. After 5 hours, I had made a cuff that ended up selling out the class.

re: Your First Wire Jewelry Making Project!

claudiaclaudia — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:38:06 GMT

In my comment yesterday, I see that I neglected to describe Beadalon's "Picasso Inspired Choker" or my own version, "Calder-esque." The project is still on Beadalon's website. It's located in their Design Workshop, under "Earrings & Misc." I modified it by using memory wire covered with black rubber tubing for the choker. The free-formed spirals and abstract shapes - made from a variety of colored wires - dangled from the memory wire. The shapes were very easy to do, and I didn't have to worry about making my creation look exactly like the original. I was very satisfied with my first piece of wire jewelry.

re: Your First Wire Jewelry Making Project!

claudiaclaudia — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:19:23 GMT

In the spring of 2009, I was browsing various necklace projects on Beadalon's website. When I saw a piece they called "Picasso Inspired Choker," I knew I had to try to create my own version. The problem was that it was impossible for me to buy the necessary colored wire locally at either of the two chain stores nearby. I did purchase a kit that came with a jig to make spiral links. Also included was a spool of magenta wire! While I waited for the blue, purple, green and turquoise wire I ordered from an online source to arrive, I practiced with the magenta. I called my version of the piece "Calder-esque," because it reminded me of Calder's mobiles. I eventually sold the choker in its own picture frame to keep it from being damaged. It was not the kind of piece that would have done well being thrown into a jewelry box.

re: Your First Wire Jewelry Making Project!

Chris Franchetti Michaels — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:18:19 GMT

You were very wise to buy a kit. I ended up stringing beads directly onto the (small gauge) wire and forming some kind of crude hook at the end -- and called it a bracelet. (Shudder.)

Since then, I've done lots and lots of wirework and beadwork, but one of my favorite approaches is to combine the two. For anyone just getting started with wirework, don't be afraid to use your imagination and see how you might combine it with beadweaving. It can get really interesting!

re: Your First Wire Jewelry Making Project!

alicia.m — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:24:56 GMT

How did you manage to know I am toying with the idea of trying wire? This is such a properly timed article :) Thank you for sharing - and for 'pushing' me to try your beautiful bracelet!