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Creating Wire Beads

By on April 27, 2016
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by Judy Ellis, Wirejewelry.com

Wire Jewelry Tip for April 27th 2016

Creating Wire Beads

by Albina Manning

A couple of weeks ago we brought you a great tip from our friend Kate Richbourg on creating Wire Beads. Well, today I wanted to share a different version from our other good friend Albina Manning. The end result is similar is form and function but both will give you different yet stunning results and add tons of personality and style to any of your projects!

Albina Says:

Albina Manning

I love making these wired beads. It is not necessary to use “brand new” wire to make them. I use my recycled / “leftovers” pieces of 20-26 ga wire. You may straighten the wire or leave any bends and kinks on it. If you make several beads, make sure you will use approximately the same amount of wire for each bead. The more wire you use the bigger the bead you make.

You will need:

  • Dowel – use a knitting needle or 16ga craft wire; you can also use a round toothpick
  • Chain nose pliers
  • Wire cutters

1. Start wrapping the wire around the dowel until the wrapped part is about the length of the bead.

wiredbead1

2. Wrap back, you can overlap the wire; keep wrapping in free style forming the bead.

wiredbead2

3. Using chain nose pliers, tuck the wire end into the “messy” wraps.

wiredbead3

4. After removing the bead from the dowel, shape the bead with your fingers if necessary.

5. Variation: you can add seed beads in the final wraps.

IMG_2881

As I mentioned above, I recycle the wire from my old jewelry that I “remodeled”.

  • For the pair of earrings I used 22ga recycled gold filled wire.
  • For the necklace I used recycled pieces of 26ga sterling silver wire.

wireearrings

necklace

I love these new “Wire” Beads that everyone is making. To see how our friend Kate Richbourg makes them, CLICK HERE!

Happy Wrapping!

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