ECT TV Episode 78: Wire Wrapped Bead Link
Hi and welcome to a special episode of Emerging Creatively Tutorials TV (ECT TV)!This is Part 2 of a 3 Part series to give you a bit of insight into how Rediscover Your Creativity & Make Jewelry eCourse works.In the actual eCourse, you get all three parts in one week and you get many more projects, but for this I’ll be sharing a new part each week. (These prompts are not from the eCourse itself, but it will give you an idea of what it’s like.)Part 1: Creativity BoosterPart 2: Jewelry Skills Lesson (this!)Part 3: Jewelry Project (coming out December 28, 2016.)In today's video, you'll learn a basic skill that you'll use again and again when making wire wrapped jewelry, the wire wrapped bead link.Here's the video episode:
Step-by-Step Instructions:These are the step-by-step photo instructions of the exact same tutorial that's in the video.
Tools and Materials:
- Wire *
- Bead
- Wire cutters
- Round nose pliers
- Chain nose pliers
- Bent nose pliers
*This is a basic skill that I’m teaching in this tutorial. Typically you’ll be choosing the wire based on the project. If it’s one of my projects, I’ll specifically tell you what wire to use. For practice I suggest that you use silver plated, copper or brass wire that’s 20 gauge, half-hard and round.If you’re using an artistic wire you may find that there isn’t a hardness indicated. Most artistic wire and copper wire is similar to half-hard and will be fine.Step #1
Cut a piece of wire. The wire should be at least 3 inches longer than the bead.Step #2
Hold the wire approximately 1 ½ inches from the top in round nose pliers.(Remember the tip where you mark your round nose pliers to keep all the wire wrapped loops in a project uniform. Line up the wire vertically with that line.)Step #3
Wrap the top part of the wire down and around the round nose pliers to form a loop.Step #4
Notice that the loop is off-centered, but we want it to be straight. The way I like to straighten the loop is by holding the loop in chain nose pliers.Step #5
Now wrap the shorter wire around the long wire one time while pulling the long wire out straight.Step #6
Wrap the short end of the wire around the long end 2 more times. You can use your fingers or bent nose (or other) pliers for this.Step #7
Trim off any excess wire making a flush cut.Step #8
Use your chain nose pliers to make sure the end of the wire is not poking out.
Bonus Tip:If you find that your wraps are not close together, use your chain nose pliers to pull them close together. Sandwich the wraps between the pliers and push the pliers closed.Step #9
Slide on your bead.Step #10
Hold the wire in round nose pliers about ¼ inch above the bead.Step #11
Now you’ll be following the same steps as you did for the loop on the other side. Wrap the wire around the round nose pliers to form a loop.Step #12
The loop will be off-center, so we’ll straighten it. Hold the loop in chain nose pliers.Step #13
Wrap the wire around one time while pulling the bead out straight.Step #14
Wrap 2 more times.Step #15
Trim off the excess wire making a flush cut.Step #16
Use your chain nose pliers to make sure the end isn’t poking out.
Give me 6 weeksand I will take you from being creatively blockedto making creative and unique jewelry designs of your own!Learn more about Rediscover Your Creativity & Make Jewelry eCourse.
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