My first wire-wrap necklace

That turned out very nice, the copper wire and green donuts really go well together. And such neat wrapping too, I can't do that :-)

I like that, Maren. But I am very much into copper and also greens. I just mastered my first *good* wrapped loop this weekend and plan to use silver to wirework my first totally Swarovski necklace. I have it laid out and am still getting inspired, grin. Olivine green and clear, of course.

I made up two necklaces with larger gemstones and copper ovals and chain.....one onyx and the other beige fossilized stone. I am quite happy with them and intend to keep working with copper a lot. I get it from different places and just bought 4 antiqued Thai copper puffed hearts.....quite a good size. I do like to use bigger pieces, so the Swarovski necklace is a challenge.

Cheers....Heather (hope I don't turn green myself from some of the copper, lol)

That looks very nice! You did a great job!

I didn't think the wire wrapping turned out all that neat, but I always compare to others, including Sharon who I took the class from and she's been wire wrapping for years. I may make something simple like a link bracelet with mgambo seeds and Swarovski crystals next (after my stringing project ... - well, depends on whether the store in Keauhou would like one or some , going to the other side of the island again). See how wire wrapping soft sterling wire compares to copper.

Aloha, Maren HiloBeads: Beads - Beading Supplies - Hand-made Jewelry

Hey Maren,

Depending on the size of the wire, you may want to use half-hard instead of soft. At 24g, I think it's easier to wrap half-hard; the soft was too "mushy" and not very sturdy afterwards. On the other hand, 20g is kinda hard to wrap, and using soft wire is easier on the hands.

Great job on the necklace!

Cheers, Carla

Maren at google wrote:

I like it! I have a difficult time keeping everything consistent. How long did it take you to do it?

-m.

I'd only use the 24g soft for the "weaving" I sometimes do. As I haven't come up with a good idea for matching earrings with the "woven" bracelets yet I haven't made any more of those. Wire wrapping I learned with 20g soft.I think 20g HH is for headpins and maybe toggles, depending on size. I prefer 22g for earwires.

I knew there must be a reason to have a dozen different sizes and tempers of wire of the same metal

Maren HiloBeads: Beads - Beading Supplies - Hand-made Jewelry

Thanks!

It took about 4 or 5 hours, including filing the ends of the jump ring (toggle and jump ring are 16 gauge, the toggle was relatively easy, getting the jump ring round, attached, closed and filed is a different subject - I just got a bulk order of split rings, including copper, so I won't be making copper jump rings again).

It isn't that consistent ... (but I claim to have had a good teacher, Sharon Turner of Island Edges bead store in Hilo, to put in a plug for one of my "competitors" in selling beads in Hilo. She buys her mgambo seeds from me :-) )

Aloha, Maren HiloBeads: Beads - Beading Supplies - Hand-made Jewelry

Thanks, Vicki.

I didn't find it too hard other than on the hands, tedious, yes, and I did put it down at some point and finished it the next day.

Hoping to get some mgambo seed and royal poinciana seed things into "Trudy's Island Art" today. It's consignment again, but I rather have my jewelry on consignment with somebody who sells art and jewelry that I like than having it bought outright by somebody (in the same shopping area) who mostly sells tourist trinkets, a lot of which look like cheap imports. - And that's thanks to you guys here! -

Aloha, Maren HiloBeads: Beads - Beading Supplies - Hand-made Jewelry