Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
April 04, 2010

Question:

I want to wire wrap pearls onto hair grips and have attempted this with 22g wire. However, it snaps and looks too chunky and untidy. Do you have any tips for me please?

Answer:

Personally, I have used a 26g round, soft wire to execute this type of technique; as it can be worked quite a bit before becoming too hard and snapping. If the item is to be of costume quality, you may even try an inexpensive craft wire.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
April 03, 2010

Question:

I am working on making enough jewelry to have a party.  How many pieces do you think I need to have to have a successful home party?

Answer:

As you have asked for my opinion, I have two suggestions for you. 1. Make at least one of everything you have the impulse to design and bring samples of color variations for each and take orders. For example one cabochon ring in silver and one in gold-filled, each made using a different colored cabochon, and a display box with 5 more cab choices, which gives the customer 7 colors to choose from. In this way you can offer a large variety of items, however you will have to plan a week or two for delivery, depending on your schedule and how many orders you take. (They can be shipped, delivered by hand, or the hostess can have a 1-hour ‘pick-up’ at her home.)

2. Choose several different items that you enjoy making and have one full tray of each (one tray of items can by spread out on two velvet boards for display on the coffee table). You may wish to display earrings and a matching cab pendant in the same area (to suggest multiple item purchases).

Overall, depending on the size of the home party, personally I would bring 25 to 30 pair of earrings, 25 pendants, 30 rings, and 15 bracelets (By the way, these are all wire designs, as I do not string) and about 5 designer pieces to be displayed on velvet easels. And I am always prepared to take orders, because no matter how many finished items I have with me, there is always someone who would like something I don’t have made up yet!

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
April 02, 2010

Question:

I have a 14mm cabochon and its my first time wrapping a cabochon, and I would like to make a pendant out of it. Which wire gauge would be good for a 14mm cabochon?

Answer:

You didn’t mention if the cab was round or not, but when I see just the single dimension 14 mm I think round. As you say this is your first time wire wrapping, I do recommend that a person begin with an oval cab, as the shape is easier to learn on. For a small cab like a 14mm, I recommend using a smaller gauged wire like 24g square, half-hard for the frame and 21g half-round, half-hard for the side wraps, remembering to use the same gauge and shape as the main frame for the bail wrap, in this case 24g sq ½ h.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
April 01, 2010

Question:

Have you ever finished a piece and decided you didn’t like how it turned out, then taken it apart to rework it?  I finally finished a long copper pendant necklace with large hand-formed rings connected with wire wrapped leather straps.  It just doesn’t look as I’d hoped.  If I want to sell it, I need to redo it.  Is there a better manner for connecting the rings?

Answer:

To answer your first question, Yes! Many times I have worked on something new and different that I really didn’t think ‘I’ liked, but often this (whatever the piece is) sells almost immediately! I know what you are asking though and without actually seeing the piece I cannot give more than a generalized suggestion, which would be to use smaller hammered rings. The wire wrapped leather sounds very cool though and you might just put it out there and see what type of response you get, as you may be pleasantly surprised!

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
March 30, 2010

Question:

New to wire wrapping, I hesitate to use sterling silver wire to practice.  What is the best wire to use to practice with?

Answer:

Some folks like to use brass, and others use plated wire, but in my opinion, copper is the best wire to practice with. It can be purchased in about every gauge and temper as sterling silver and although it may be just a bit softer, it will give you very similar results. You can find a variety of copper wire in wire wrappers gauges here: Copper Jewelry Wire I also enjoy occasionally mixing copper and sterling or argentium wire together, for a more casual and rustic look in finished pieces.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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