Tuesday, November 25, 2008
I don't know if you remember, but earlier this year, I posted a tutorial on how to wrap briolette beads.
I just recently got an interesting e-mail from a fellow jewelry maker. She said that wrapping briolettes was information that she worked hard to discover herself and that it was hard-earned; she was upset that I was sharing it. She called me out on her blog, too.
Well do you know what I say. Knowledge is worthless unless it is shared. It's not a commodity to hoard.
Furthermore, ANYONE can figure out how to wrap beads. Most bead magazines have instructions. Plus it's easy enough to find by googling.
So in as a response to her letter, I am re-posting my tutorial, below.
Good luck to all my fellow beaders and jewelry makers, and I hope your briolettes turn out BRILLIANTLY!
The Contrariwise Method to wrap briolettes and tear-shaped beads
Supplies:
Instructions:
1)Thread the wire through the bead's hole, making it poke out about an inch on one side.
2)Pinch both wires at the top of the briolette to form the shape of a triangle, making sure that the stone is centered
3) Take the short end and wrap it around the longer wire 2-3 times, like this:
4)Snip off the tiny bit of wire sticking out.
5)Using your round pliers, create a loop:
(You could actuall stop here, finish with a wrapped loop, and be done. But we'll continue with wrapping the wire down the gemstone.)
6)Now start wrapping the wire. You will wrap around the wire below the loop, then wrap around the bead. You can stop wrapping above the hole in the bead or below it, depending on the look you want. In this case I wrapped below the hole.
7) At this point you need to decide how to finish this off. There are a number of ways:
- Cut the wire flush and either tuck it under the last wrap or press it neatly against the stone.
- Wrap the wire back up the bead carefully, then secure it by tucking it into the bead hole or wrapping it a couple of times under the loop. (If you want a "messy" look, wrap the wire back up loosely.)
- To create a swirl in front of the bead, cut the wire, leaving about 1/2 inch. Then create the swirl and press it against the bead. Example:
- Wrap the wire back up once accross the front of the wrapping, then a couple of times below the loop. (My preferred method). Example:
And that's all there is to it! Happy wire wrapping!
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I do have a couple of students who now make more of their own accessories and gifts instead of buying them from me. They have so much joy in that creative process and in giving gifts made with their own hands that I'm actually glad to have "lost" their business.
World folklore is full of stories where the scrooges are bitten by fate and the open handed are blessed. It is safer & happier to be open handed. Better or your health, too. :)
thinking of writing a tutorial myself..
The other woman is being just plain ridiculous. I even spoke to another blogger about you being kind enough to share so many things, she is now also a follower of your blog.
I hope you sell a million pcs. of jewelry with that particular wrap...LOL
regardless. very generous of you to share. beautiful work.
And leave it at that.
I actually do this wire wrap a bit differently...maybe I'll share my method and have someone after me for it! Ha, Ha! :)
;)
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for sharing!
Pat.
What on earth would she think of those of us who dare to teach jewellery making for a living?!
Your tips and tutorials are great - don't stop!
http://dbvictoria.blogspot.com/2008/12/wire-wrapping-tutorial.html
I understand not wanting to give out the secrets of being the BEST! BUUUUT you can tell someone a million times how to do something, doing it brilliantly is what separates hobbyist from professionals!
I don't make jewelry very well and I try.
but i am a professional photographer, and the digital camera era sucks for us!
But hey you can still separate the professionals.