Hi there! It’s Angela here again! Today I have a short tutorial about wire work. This is primarily a jewelery making technique, but it can also be incorporated in mixed media projects, and even as embellishments on scrapbooks and cards. I’m going to show you how to carry out 2 techniques today.
Wire is available from most big craft shops or beading shops. I have used silver coated copper wire today, but it is available in a variety of colours, or if you are thinking of making jewelery, you can buy Sterling Silver wire. However this can be expensive and I would recommend you practice a good few times on copper wire before moving onto the good stuff!!! Wire is available in different sizes (or gauges), with the lower gauge being the thicker wires. For this I am using a thicker wire ( gauge).
“S” Link Fastner
Cut a piece of wire 5 cm long and hold the wire in your left hand, and with your right hand use the tip of the round nose pliers, hold the wire firmly. To make a loop you need to move your wrist around, as if turning a key in a lock, until the tip of the wire touches the stem of the wire.
You then need to repeat this on the opposite end, making sure that the loops are facing in opposite directions.
Place the Round Nose Pliars beneath one of the loops, holding the wire further down the pliers, where it has a larger diameter – this will make a larger loop.
This can be a bit of trial and error, and once you find what point if right for the size you need, you may want to mark this on your pliers. This time we are going to make a loop that goes in the opposite direction from the one directly above. Hold the wire with the loop facing toward you, and then bend the wire forward as before until the 2 pieces of wire touch. Repeat this on the opposite side and you should end up with this:
Creating Closed Spirals.
It is probably easier to work straight from the roll of wire for this technique. Hold the wire in your left hand and as for the “S” shaped wire, make a loop at the end of the wire.
Keep the pliers in the loop and loosen your hold on them, move your hand back to the starting position. Tighten your hold on the pliers again and move your wrist forward in the same action. This will be the beginning of the coil.
Hold the wire horizontally, and then using flat nosed pliers, take hold of the “loop”. Using your left hand, slowly start to coil the wire in a circular fashion, looping around the original loop. You will need to loosen your hold on the pliers to move the coil around, then hold down again.
Depending on the thickness of the wire, you may be able to do this with your hands. Continue until the spiral is your desired size. Cut the wire between 1-2cm above the spiral. Then again with the Round Nose Pliers, turn a loop at this end of the wire, going in the opposite direction of the spiral.
Here are a few examples of these in use
Thanks for looking!
~angela~
