Jewelry Making -- How to Connect Jewelry Wire Components with a Wrapped Bead Link
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This article includes information from WigJig's jewelry making technique webpages on connecting jewelry wire components with wrapped bead links. Please visit WigJig for all your jewelry supplies - jewelry wire, jewelry tools, free jewelry making instruction, design, and beads!
The Technique
The wrapped bead link is the jewelry making component shown at right. This link is one of the more important links for connecting jewelry wire components, other wrapped beads links, or segments of commercial chain.
The following paragraphs provide a few jewelry making tips that I hope will help those who aren't satisfied with their wrapped loops. These jewelry making tips provide amplification to the instructions provided above.
1. 22G or 24G wire are easier to use in making wrapped loops than 18G or 20G. In addition, while you should practice this skill with inexpensive copper wire, you will probably find that soft wire, like copper practice wire, is harder to use in making wrapped loops than is 1/2 hard wire.
2. When you are trying to perfect this technique, use larger loops. It is easier to be successful when making a wrapped loop when the loop is larger.
3. Try to keep the jewelry wire tail that you are wrapping perpendicular to the wire inside the bead as you wrap. When the wire gets at an angle to the wire inside the bead, you will notice gaps between the wraps.
4. When wrapping, it is best to hold the loop that you make with chain nose or bent chain nose pliers while you wrap the wire. This helps to retain the shape of the loop (keeps it from distorting out of round) and helps to stabilize the piece as you wrap.
5. As you are learning this jewelry skill allow yourself more wire in the wire tail that you wrap around the wire segment inside the bead. Instead of starting with a bend 1 inch from the end, make the initial bend 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 inch from the end of the wire. This will mean that you cut off more excess jewelry wire, but while you are perfecting this skill, you will find it easier if you have a little more wire to work with.
6. One final jewelry technique to try is to push the wire tail that you are wrapping with your fingers close to the wire you are wrapping around. This may make it easier to control the wrap and help to keep the wire perpendicular.
The following paragraphs provide a few jewelry making tips that I hope will help those who aren't satisfied with their wrapped loops. These jewelry making tips provide amplification to the instructions provided above.
1. 22G or 24G wire are easier to use in making wrapped loops than 18G or 20G. In addition, while you should practice this skill with inexpensive copper wire, you will probably find that soft wire, like copper practice wire, is harder to use in making wrapped loops than is 1/2 hard wire.
2. When you are trying to perfect this technique, use larger loops. It is easier to be successful when making a wrapped loop when the loop is larger.
3. Try to keep the jewelry wire tail that you are wrapping perpendicular to the wire inside the bead as you wrap. When the wire gets at an angle to the wire inside the bead, you will notice gaps between the wraps.
4. When wrapping, it is best to hold the loop that you make with chain nose or bent chain nose pliers while you wrap the wire. This helps to retain the shape of the loop (keeps it from distorting out of round) and helps to stabilize the piece as you wrap.
5. As you are learning this jewelry skill allow yourself more wire in the wire tail that you wrap around the wire segment inside the bead. Instead of starting with a bend 1 inch from the end, make the initial bend 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 inch from the end of the wire. This will mean that you cut off more excess jewelry wire, but while you are perfecting this skill, you will find it easier if you have a little more wire to work with.
6. One final jewelry technique to try is to push the wire tail that you are wrapping with your fingers close to the wire you are wrapping around. This may make it easier to control the wrap and help to keep the wire perpendicular.
Jewelry Videos
WigJig Links
- Beads, Jewelry Tools, Wire, & Jewelry Making Supplies by WigJig
- Making jewelry with wire, beads and gemstones. 2500+ free web pages of designs. Online store selling jewelry tools, beads, wire and jewelry making supplies. This is our home page.
- WigJig Beads -- Our Online Beading Supplies Store
- Beads by WigJig an online beadstore. We also include Beadology -- information on the sizes, shapes, types and styles of beads. Page includes links to jewelry designs.
- Beginners Jewelry Making using Beads, Tools, Wire & SuppliesPg 11
- Free beginner's instructions for making jewelry using WigJig jewelry making tools, beads and jewelry wire Page 11.
- WigJig University - Free Jewelry Making Designs using Beads and Wire
- Make jewelry with wire and beads. Over 2,500 free web pages with free instructions, techniques and jewelry making projects. Online store selling WigJig tools, beads, wire and jewelry supplies.
- Free Necklace, Bracelet and Earring Jewelry Making Instructions
- Jewelry Making Projects -WJU with over 2,700 free web pages of instructions for making jewelry with jewelry wire, beads and other jewelry supplies.
- Technique List
- First page of Techniques for making jewelry with jewelry wire and beads including techniques for using our WigJig jewelry making tools page 1.
- Jewelry Making - How to Bend Wire
- This lens shows information from WigJig's jewelry making technique webpages on bending jewelry wire. Please visit WigJig for all your jewelry making supplies - jewelry tools, jewelry wire, free jewelry instruction, design, and beads!
by Brittany9984
Brittany is the niece of Gary and Suzanne Helwig, owners of the WigJig company - and daughter of Marcia, the WigJig customer service represe...
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