Lora S. Irish - Wire-Wrapped Jewelry Techniques: Tools and Inspiration for Creating Your Own Fashionable Jewelry

Acknowledgements

I wish to extend my deepest thanks to Chris Reggio, Tiffany Hill, Colleen Dorsey, and Wendy Reynolds for their excellent work in creation, development, and refinement of this manuscript. As an author it is a wonderful experience to be working with such a well-skilled team.

2018 by Lora S. Irish and Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552.

Wire-Wrapped Jewelry Techniques is an original work, first published in 2018 by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc. The patterns contained herein are copyrighted by the author. Readers may make copies of these patterns for personal use. The patterns themselves, however, are not to be duplicated for resale or distribution under any circumstances. Any such copying is a violation of copyright law.

INFORMATION: All rights reserved. All images in this book have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the artists concerned and no responsibility is accepted by producer, publisher, or printer for any infringement of copyright or otherwise, arising from the contents of this publication. Every effort has been made to ensure that credits accurately comply with information supplied. WARNING: Due to the components used in these crafts, children under 8 years of age should not have access to materials or supplies without adult supervision. Under rare circumstances components of products could cause serious or fatal injury. Please read all safety warnings for the products being used. Neither Fox Chapel Publishing, the product manufacturer, or the supplier is responsible. NOTE: The use of products and trademark names is for informational purposes only, with no intention of infringement upon those trademarks.

Jacket background image by http://metal.graphics.

Print ISBN 978-1-56523-955-5

eSBN 978-1-60765-555-8

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Irish, Lora S., author.

Title: Wire-wrapped jewelry techniques / Lora S. Irish.

Description: Mount Joy, PA : Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 2018. |

Includes index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018018862 (print) | LCCN 2018019122 (ebook) | ISBN 9781607655558 (ebook) | ISBN 9781565239555

(softcover)

Subjects: LCSH: Jewelry making. | Wire jewelry.

Classification: LCC TT212 (ebook) | LCC TT212 .I75 2018 (print) | DDC

745.594/2--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov

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Because working with wire and other materials inherently includes the risk of injury and damage, this book cannot guarantee that creating the projects in this book is safe for everyone. For this reason, this book is sold without warranties or guarantees of any kind, expressed or implied, and the publisher and the author disclaim any liability for any injuries, losses, or damages caused in any way by the content of this book or the readers use of the tools needed to complete the projects presented here. The publisher and the author urge all readers to thoroughly review each project and to understand the use of all tools before beginning any project.

B ent-wire jewelry links are all the rage in todays necklace and bracelet designs. A little wire, a few simple tools, and some brightly colored beads are all you need to start creating your own fashion statements. By adding new wires to basic links with a technique called wire wrapping, you can alter simple links into complex, intriguing, and fascinating focal designs. Wire wrapping is a quick and easy technique to master that will take your jewelry craft to the next level. Throughout this book, some experience in jewelry craft and basic bent-wire link skills on the part of the reader are assumed. There are many excellent books and Internet tutorials available to beginning jewelry crafters that will give a new hobbyist a strong foundation in the basic skills.

In this book, youll learn how to:

Add texture using tightly packed wire-wrapped coils

Add a grunge look using random, loosely packed twists and turns

Add bead clusters anywhere on a bent-wire link

Secure free-floating arms or anchor open hoops in a bent-wire link

Experiment with wire-wrapped coils and beaded wires

Create woven patterns, working a wrapping wire through several arms of a bent-wire link

Create connecting loops on bent-wire links to add side chains

And more!

What Is a Bent-Wire Link?

Quite simply, a bent-wire link, or simply a link, is a kind of jewelry-making unit that is made by manipulating wire into a specific shape or design. A link can be simple or complex, large or small. The idea of this book is to learn how to create links that you then decorate with wire wrapping and incorporate as elements of finished jewelry. The bent-wire link itself is the basic unit before any wrapping is added.

W ire, 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.

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. Its 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.