Step-by-step project: Wire wrapped bracelet
Practice your wire wrapping skills with this fun statement bracelet.
Materials
1.5m of 1.25mm silver-plated copper wire
2m of 0.6mm silver-plated copper wire
Selection of glass beads
Masking tape
Chain nose pliers
Round nose pliers
Wire cutters
Steel block
Whammer or hammer
Step 1
Cut four 35cm lengths of the 1.25mm wire and make a spiral at one end of each one. You can find a tutorial on creating spirals and coils at jewelryfromhome.com
Step 2
Use a Whammer or other jewellery hammer and a steel block to flatten the spirals and the wire for about 2cm below the spiral.
Step 3
Arrange the four wires side by side so that the coiled ends are arranged nicely – you may want to take some time to get an arrangement you like. Tape the wires in place and cut a 40cm length of 0.6mm wire. Carefully wrap the larger wires for about 2cm flattening the wraps in place with your pliers as you go along.
Step 4
Mark the wires 9cm and 18cm from the middle of the first wrap and tape wires in parallel again. Make 2cnm wraps over the two marks as in step 3. Once the wraps are in place you can start to shape the bracelet by pulling the large wire outwards in between the wraps to form diamond shapes.
Step 5
Trim the wires at the unfinished end so that the outer wires measure approx 7cm from wrap and inner two wires 8cm. Make and hammer coils as before. Now press your bracelet round a cup, drink can or other cylindrical object to shape it.
Step 6
Cut a 15cm length of 0.6mm wire. Make a few wraps round the centre of one side of the diamond section, trim and press ends in place. Then add a selection of beads and wrap your wire securely to the other side of the diamond section. Repeat for other diamond section. Then check and tidy up and wire ends before wearing. You could also think about wrapping a series of wires in each section to fill the whole space – if so use 0.4mm wire with small beads.
