Wire Wrapping for Jewelry

Wire wrapping is the wonderful world of making beautiful jewelry and enhancing the charm of precious stones with fine and sterling silver, argentium, titanium and 10, 14 and 18 carat gold. Wire wrapping is a mechanical technique taking the metal wire and metal findings and intertwining them together creating a binding without the use of solder or heating. Along with the fine metal wiring and findings, a needle file, wire marking pen, ruler, pin vise, wire cutters and pliers are needed to fashion your wire into the shape desired for your masterpiece.

These pliers will include bent nose, chain nose, flat nose and round nose (available at any craft store). Think of what you would like to make before choosing the wire and fittings for your project. Wire comes in many sizes, shapes and of different tempers (hardness). Wire shape is important for your piece or design. Four shapes are available: half-round, round, square and triangle. The diameter of the wire is measured in gauges with the smaller the gauge the larger the wire size. For example, the most popular sizes are an 18 (1mm) or 22 gauge (.6mm).

The consistency of your wire is an important part of your construction. This is called temper. Three types of temper are obtainable half or full hard, spring hard and dead soft. The most popular is dead soft because it becomes harder as you work with it. Several forms or practices of wire wrapping include bead drops and links, eye loops, wrap loops, spirals, clover links and clasps, French, and swirl ear loops and many other variations of loops. You can also get links and clasps to entice the artist's imagination to fashion intriguing and unique pieces of jewelry.