How to Make Wire Wrapped Jewelry

Wire wrapping is a staple of traditional jewelry-making. Many types of jewelry incorporate some form of wire wrapping, whether it is in the chain or clasp, or used to hold beads and gems in place. This technique has become popular as a way to create an entire piece of jewelry, using the wire for both structural support and aesthetic detail. Almost any shape is possible in wire-wrapped jewelry, and pieces can be finished relatively quickly compared to other types of jewelry. There are several basic techniques--including twisting, wrapping and shaping--that a beginner should know before attempting any wire-wrapped jewelry project.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Safety goggles
• Measuring tape
• Wire
• Beads
• Ring mandrel
• Hammer
• Mallet
• Steel plate or anvil
• Jewelry pliers
• Jewelry file
• Flush cutters or jeweler's saw
• Soldering equipment and supplies

The Basics

1. Using a measuring tape or a piece of string, measure your wrist for an inflexible bracelet, leaving a little extra room. The measuring tape should not be tight against your wrist, because this bracelet will be fairly wide with all of the beaded details attached. Add an extra inch to this measurement for a closure.

2. Cut a length of 20-gauge wire in your wrist measurement. This is the basic wristband upon which you will build your jewelry. File and sand the cut edges until they are smooth.

3. Cut 10 or more smaller lengths of wire, each about 1 inch long. File and sand the cut edges. You will use these to practice making wrapped-wire beads. Cut another 10 lengths of wire, each about 1/2 inch long, and also file and sand the edges. These will become loops.

4. Take your wristband over to your ring mandrel and jewelry forms. Find a shape that is about the same size around as your wristband length, minus the extra inch for the closure. If you do not have a cylindrical form that size, improvise with an object from around the house that can stand up to hammering.

5. Wrap the wristband wire around the cylindrical form, except for 1/2 inch at each end. If the wire does not easily conform to a round shape, use the mallet to gently bang the wire into place. Be careful not to deform the circle you are making.

The Extras

6. Find the smallest part of the ring mandrel, or an improvised form that is slightly bigger around than the width of the 20-gauge wire you have. Using the pliers, grasp a 1-inch piece of wire and wind it tightly around the form, starting in the middle of the wire. If the wire looks misshapen when wrapped, use the mallet on it. Remove the wire from the form and repeat this step on all the other 1-inch wire pieces, making identical wire beads.

7. Form loops with the 1/2-inch lengths of wire by shaping them around the ring mandrel. Make sure the ends meet up as closely as possible, so that they do not slip off the wristband. If desired, solder the ends together by placing flux and wire solder into the seam and heating the solder with the blowtorch. The melted solder should run cleanly into the seam. Put the soldered loops into a pickle-pot solution to cool, then file and sand away the excess solder.

8. Cut, file and sand a few more small pieces of wire in any short length you like to make dangling bead drops. Using the hammer on the metal plate, bang one end of the wire flat. String a regular bead (not a wrapped-wire bead) on the other end, then bend the top of that end down with the pliers to create a hook.

9. Slip the wire-wrapped beads and loops onto the wristband in any order you like, filling up most of the length. You can make more or use less of these extras depending on the length of your wristband.

10. Create a loop at one end of the wristband, twisting the ends together with the pliers so they cannot separate. Bend the other end of the wristband into a hook shape with an S-curve, rather like a bobby pin. This way, the hooked end can slip in and out of the looped end without all of the decorative pieces sliding off.

11. Slip the hooked bead drops onto the decorative loops, using a pattern that pleases you. Take the pliers and bend the hooked ends closer, so the drops cannot slide off of the loops.

12. Polish the wire with a polishing cloth, if desired.

Tips & Warnings

• Instead of an inflexible wristband, you can try making a chain bracelet using a series of connected loops. If the loops do not stay on the wristband due to the space between the ends, you can either solder them or twist the ends together with the pliers. You may need slightly more length for twisting. Loops can be hammered into shape after soldering, as well as before. Once you have the hang of them, apply these methods of shaping and connecting to other types of jewelry.
• Always wear safety goggles when cutting wire.

Resources

• Wire-Wrapping Videos
• Wire-Wrapping Pendants
• Wire Wrap Jewelry Techniques
• Wire Wrap Jewelry Projects