Wire wrapping is a fun and simple way to start making jewellery. All you need is wire and some jewellery making pliers, so getting started is simple. Did you know that it is also known to improve fine motor skills, as well as visual perceptual, visual motor and even cognitive skills?
How do I start making jewellery by wire wrapping? We’re here to help you every step of the way on your wire wrapping jewellery making journey. From step by step guides, to helpful tutorials and a look at what essential tools you will need when working in wire wrapping, we’re here to help you get started.
Want to learn how to start wire wrapping? Time to begin…
Wire wrapped jewellery is jewellery that has been made by wrapping wire around itself, or around a gemstone, pendant, stone or other component to create an intricate form. It can be bent or twisted, and generally doesn’t involve soldering, making it simple for beginners, though as an art form, mastering it an lead to stunning creations.
When wire wrapping as a beginner what you’ll need are just the basics; some wire and a cutter. Depending on what you are creating you may also need a mandrel, cabochons and gemstones for wrapping and some pliers.
Wire wrapping can be a little tricky to master which is why practice is essential. Start with some basic base metal wire and start learning how to wrap and turn the wire. The more you practice, the easier it will get to create some really intricate designs
If you are new to wire wrapping it is always advised to start with base metal wire. Base metal refers to copper and brass and are considered the best choice for beginners as they are both easy to work and cost efficient.
Wire wrapping can be difficult to figure out which is why we always advise that you practice as much as you can. Creating wire wrapped jewellery requires skill so take a look at some tutorials, read up on the best advice and tips and make sure you invest in the right tools as this will only help you on your jewellery making journey
Making jewellery doesn’t always require a big workshop but it is important that you do have the right space. Whether this is an entire room or a corner of a room in your house, creating a dedicated workspace that has all of the right tools is a must for any jewellery maker.
This refers to the hardness of the wire. As you work with wire, it will harden. Think of when you bend a paperclip. As you bend it, it will harden. Eventually, it can be over hardened and snap. This can be used to your advantage to create a more hard wearing jewellery piece. Working a wire with pliers will harden it, but you can also hammer the wire with a rawhide mallet at the end of shaping your pieces to harden it. If to hard to work, you can soften wire again by heating it.
If you read that a wire is annealed, this a term to show it is a soft wire
If you ever see this term, it’s a reference to the diameter of the wire. There are two main types of wire gauge, British Standard Wire Gauge (SWG) and American Wire Gauge (AWG). In both cases, the higher the gauge number, the thinner diameter the wire. In SWG, 8 gauge is 4.06mm diameter, 18 gauge is 1.22mm.
This is a shape of cross section of wire. It is, as it sounds in the shape of an uppercase D or a semi circle. Other common wire cross sections include round, square, oval and rectangular
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