Wire Wrapping 101: Wire Wrapping Tips for Jewelry Making
Learn about wire wrapping for jewelry making and find video instructions, project tutorials and product recommendations from the Beadaholique design team.
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What is Wire Wrapping?
In simple terms, wire wrapping is taking wire and wrapping it around itself and/or beads and other components to create jewelry. Wire wrapping can be used to make a loop for joining different components together, such as when creating a wrapped wire loop or wrapping a pendant. Through wire wrapping, you can also secure beads to a form, or even attach non bead items such as wire wrapping rhinestone cup chain onto a bangle. When wrapped, curved, bent and manipulated, the wire itself can become the structure and foundation of your piece or act as a design detail. Wire wrapping lets you create custom shapes and angles, and gives you more ways to use different components together.
How to Do Wire Wrapping for Jewelry Making
The best way to learn wire wrapping is to view tutorials and follow instructions from those already familiar with this jewelry making technique. It can be difficult to try and figure it out on your own because factors such as wire gauge (thickness) and wire hardness can greatly influence your results. Trying to replicate a design with the wrong type of wire will make the project much more difficult and can lead to frustration, hurt fingers and poor results. Having the right tools, such as pliers and cutters, will also help tremendously.
To build up your wire wrapping skills, start simple with the very basics such as creating simple and wrapped wire loops. Move on to wrapping a briolette and creating a herringbone wrap. The more you practice, the better your results will be as you get familiar with how wire acts and moves. After you have mastered some of the more simple techniques, try wire wrapping beads onto a form, creating an over-under basket weave design and wire netting From here you can progress onto advanced techniques such as those demonstrated by guest designer Wyatt White. View our instructional videos and project tutorials for details, and remember to practice, practice, practice!
Wire Wrapping Instructional Videos
Learn wire wrapping with instructional videos from our design team.
Featured Video: How to Make a Caged Wire Wrapped Cabochon
 Beadaholique Live Class: Basics of Wire Wrapping |
 How to Wire Wrap Beads onto an Earring Hook |
 How to Wire Wrap a Coin Bead |
 How to Wire Wrap a Bail for Gemstone Donuts |
VIEW ALL JEWELRY MAKING VIDEOS ABOUT WIRE WRAPPING
Wire Wrapping Patterns and Project Tutorials
Find inspiration and practice with free project tutorials and patterns showcasing wire wrapping in jewelry making.
VIEW ALL WIRE WRAPPING JEWELRY MAKING PROJECT TUTORIALS
Wire Wrapping Tools & Supplies
The absolute basic materials you need to begin wire wrapping are wire, a cutter and something to wrap. Briolettes, cabochons and gemstones are ideal for wire wrapping, but with some planning and creativity, you can wire wrap almost anything. Other helpful tools that go hand in hand with wrapping include pliers, mandrels, files, and jigs.
When just starting out, practice with inexpensive craft wire first before moving on to higher end precious metal wire such as sterling silver wire or gold filled wire.
- Wire (craft wire including precious metal craft wire)
- Pliers
- Wire Cutters
- Mandrels
- Wire Jigs, Gauges, Draw Plates & Other Wire Tools