My first wired piece of jewellery

[Petal]

Well, its taken a while, but I've had a go at producing my first necklace from .08mm copper wire. I've never made jump rings or anything in wire, so its not bad for a first attempt. I'm going to redo the three jumprings at the bottom of the 'Y' section, as they look cr!p to me.

As this is made in .08mm wire I've waggled it about to try and work harden as much as poss. (I don't have a tumbler) - is that enough, or would you remake with 1mm wire, just to be sure? What do you think guys :









(I haven't got round to wire weaving yet.... so no piccie)

xx

[AlexandraBuckle]

I love the colour of the copper with the beads you have chosen.
You could always hammer bits flatter to harden them more.
If you gave it a yank, would it all bend out of shape...? if not then it's prob hard enough...

[snow_imp]

Nice piece you've got there.

[Petal]

Yes, I too thought the copper edging on the beads might go with my recently acquired copper wire - not bad for a newbie, eh! ummm I might have a go at hammering (for the first time!) later on and will post piccies. I'm working on some orders at the mo, dipping into here every so often for a break.

thanks for that!

xx

[Boo]

Lovely design, the copper sets off the beads beautifully. I like copper, as we know.

My first gut feeling is that it will be weak where you have open links. I'd personally wrap any loops/links with 0.8mm wire, unless you've done work to harden it, like twisting it before working with it.

I don't tumble for hardness, it would take quite a long time with copper I suspect. I'd twist or hammer for actual proper strength - or wrap any links or use heavier gauge wire - but that then changes the delicacy of the design.

The open loopy links around the crystals look to be a potential weak spot to me. I'd personally wrap those links, still with a large loop for the design and then hammer the circles lightly. 0.8mm copper without something would be prone to mis-shaping or coming undone. I personally wouldn't rely on an open loop in that gauge, unless I'd hardened first.

But I can't feel it - I'm purely going on what I can see and you'll know yourself how reliable it feels in your hand.

I have an old guillotine here I use for chopping paper - it has a long handle and whenever I lean over it, I'm prone to getting my shirt front or long necklaces looped over the end of the handle - if I stand up, it gives it a hard yank. I use that as my mental criteria for strength when thinking about designs. If I think my guillotine trick would ruin the work, I need to change the design. My gut feeling if it were my design, is that those crystal links wouldn't not withstand what we laughingly call the old Gestetner handle test!

[bustagasket]

I have no advice to offer as i have never worked with copper and s i have no experience with it, but the design is wonderful! It might be your first attempt - but you certainly dont do things by halves!!! lol

[Lisa Quinn]

Hi Jules,

I'm sorry I have no advice to give either, but I do love the combination of copper and beads are gorgeous. I would never know that this was a first attempt either !

[Petal]

OOh thanks for that tip Boo. I copied the design from the Bead & Wire Jewellery for Special Occasions book by Linda Jones, but she made her necklace with pearls, so I've probably used the wrong gauge wire for use with my beads as they are 3/4" long & heavier. Yes, I think you're right about the connectors being a weak spot - I'll have a go at making a wrapped connector with the crystal in and see what that's like.

I like your old Gestetner handle test I shall have to think of some ingenious way of testing my wire things....

xx

[Boo]

I don't actually test the pieces with it - but it's just the kind of hazard people wearing jewellery at work etc. will have to face and their jewellery and clothes withstand - so I just try and imagine if the piece would withstand it. It's just one of my own personal mental checks when doing work.

I also tend to leave one join un-closed too - if someone really does get their jewellery trapped in a car door or piece of machinery, you want the jewellery to break before their neck does. I'm uneasy with the idea of entirely soldered links in a piece. Longevity is one thing, safety needs to be considered too.

If you used a book instruction, was the design made in silver - most wire patterns (other than wrapping) will usually specify half hard Sterling, but copper is much softer, you need to think of it like dead soft silver in designs and when following instructions - and take measures to harden accordingly.

Just make a test link for yourself - just like the ones in the design, if you can open it yourself by pulling on it lengthwise, as though it were trapped in something, does it come open pretty easily? I'm sure you'll know when handling the piece if it's likely to withstand wear.

And don't forget, open links can pull threads, snag in hair and scratch your neck if you've not closed them really neatly. So try wearing it and see how it performs.

[Di Sandland]

Jules - our Boo knows a thing or two about copper so I have nothing to add, other than the colours are really sumptuous and special. Well done you