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The Design Approach To Learning
   

WIRE WORKING AND WIRE WRAPPING

Working with wires of different thickness, hardness, shape, color, materials, strength in fashioning jewelry and other objects is a very desirable skill. It takes experience with the feel of wire, how it is shaped, how it's strength can be structurally enhanced, and how it can be interlinked, interlocked and interconnected with other wire, with beads, with other materials. This "feel" will vary a bit with the type of metal. For example, brass is harder than sterling silver.

There are two approaches.

The first is called Wire Work. In wire working, the artist creates shapes, using various sizes of wire. The artist can create jewelry findings, such as clasps, headpins and earwires. S/he can create chains of linked wire shapes. S/he can create unusual shapes to dangle from earrings, or to embellish pieces as decorative components. SHAPE is the key word here.

The second is called Wire Wrap. In wire wrapping, the artist uses wire to create structural components, then assembles these into a supporting system. This is similar, though on a micro-scale, to building and engineering a bridge. The artist might create a setting for a stone, or a piece of jewelry which depends on controlling the tensile strength of the wire in some way, to hold the stone in place, and keep it from popping out. STRUCTURE is the key word here.





Visit Land of Odds - Jewelry Design Center for all your beading and jewelry making supplies.

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WIRE WORKING

After the ORIENTATION TO BEADS & JEWELRY FINDINGS Class...

Begin by learning how to make a simple wire loop and a coiled wire loop.

Then, do these core classes:
- Mix N Match Bracelet
- Wire Wrapped Cabochon Pendant
- Jewelry Findings and Chain Link Bracelet

Then select from any of our beginner, intermediate and advanced electives.


NOTE: With the descriptions and instructions for each class, there are suggestions about which classes to take next.

 

Read about:
o What "Gauge" Means
o Wire Stiffness: Hard, Half-Hard and Dead Soft

 



PREPARATORY CLASSES
 

WWPRE-1
Simple and Coiled Loops

BEGINNER

 

 

WWPRE-2
Wire Bails

BEGINNER

 



CORE CLASSES FOR BEGINNERS
 

WWCORE-1.1
MIX N' MATCH BRACELET

BEGINNER

 
 

WWCORE-2.1
WIRE WRAPPED CABOCHON PENDANT

BEGINNER

 
 

WWCORE-3.1
JEWELRY FINDINGS AND CHAIN LINK BRACELET

BEGINNER

 


ELECTIVE CLASSES - EARRINGS

 

WWE-1.1
LET'S MAKE EARRINGS - HEAD PIN DANGLES

BEGINNER

 
 

WWE-1.2
LET'S MAKE EARRINGS - CHAIN DANGLES

BEGINNER

 
 

WWE-1.3
LET'S MAKE EARRINGS - FRAME WITH DECORATION

BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE

 
 

 

 
 

 

 

ELECTIVE CLASSES - BRACELETS, NECKLACES AND PENDANTS
 

WWB-1.0
WIRE WRAPPED BRACELET WITH BEADS

INTERMEDIATE

 
 

WWB-2.0
Bead-Chain ROSARY

BEGINNER

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 

See all available Instructions and Kits

 


 

Learning Goals for
Wire Working/Wire Wrapping

CRITICAL SKILLS TO LEARN:

- Understanding wires, metals, hardness, and measuring wire

- Understanding tools and mandrels

- Using tools and wire to make shapes; developing Control over how to make shapes

- Using wire to build structural components
--- Learning about support systems and structural elements/components
--- Hammering and twisting wire
--- Making coils and springs
--- Learning how to lock wires together
--- Learning how to create cradles and encaging

- Combining beads with wire

- Combining cabochons and other differently shaped objects with wire

- Chain Making

- Designing Earrings

- Designing Clasps

- Finishing Touches

 


 

SUPPLIES AND TOOLS
To KEEP ON HAND

An assortment of wires, in different gauges, materials and finishes, and in round, square and half-round. We suggest using half-hard wire for most sizes. As the sizes get 14 gauge and above, the dead soft is easier to use.

An assortment of glass, metal, gemstone, pearl beads and cabochons in various sizes and shapes.

As assortment of clasps that you like to work with, in several finishes.

Chain nose pliers (smooth inside jaws)
Round nose pliers
Side Cutters and Flush Cutters
Jump ring pliers
Assorted mandrels (jump ring, ring, bracelet, necklace)
Steel Block
Wood Block
Anvil and dome blocks
steel wool
Chasing Hammer
Leather head hammer/mallet
Plastic head hammer/mallet
4 or 5 pin vises
Cup burr
Caliper
Nail File Set


Work surface
sharpie markers
Scissors
Ruler (marked in inches and millimeters)
Thread zapper or bic lighter

Pen and Paper

OPTIONAL
Small hand-held butane or propane torch
Jeweler's saw and blades
bees wax


Our LEARN TO BEAD program
is based on
The Design Approach
:

- Focused on teaching how to make smart choices
- Developmentally-based, where you learn skills in an orderly way, and understand how skills build upon each other
- Easy to follow


You may purchase:
o Written instructions for each lesson
o Kits of Supplies
o Recommended Books


Visit our LearnToBead Blog
See all available Instructions and Kits

 

 

 

THE JEWELRY DESIGN DISCUSSION GROUP
Please join our group on facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/jewelrydesign/

 
 











Visit
Land of Odds - Jewelry Design Center for all your beading and jewelry making supplies.

Visit our LearnToBead Blog

 

The Design Approach....

Teaches you how to make choices
about function and appeal,
movement and context,
when you construct a piece of jewelry.

 

JEWELRY DESIGN CAMP 
October 2013 (Enrollment Closed)
2015 (TBA)

 

Immerse yourself into a week-long study of jewelry design theories, and their applications and manipulations with various materials, techniques and strategies.

 

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CraftArtEdu is a truly unique
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All jewelry, artworks, images, designs, copy,
Copyright 2010 Warren Feld.
All rights reserved. LearnToBead.Net

Phone: 615/292-0610
Website: www.learntobead.net

Email: classes@learntobead.net