Whenever I talk to people about jewelry making the first thing that pops up in their mind is making jewelry from beads. Hardly ever they heard or make any piece from wire.
I’m sure you’ve watched my video with step by step instructions on how to make wire wrapped earrings using the Elvis Twist technique, if not you can check it out here. But today let me introduce you to a book called “Making Wire Jewelry and more”. Here is how Petrolia from Jewelry Lessons describes it:
The accomplished artists Linda Chandler and Christine Ritchey have collaborated before with the book entitled “Making Wire Jewelry and more”, but this book is the first I have read by the authors. Each sections has great close up photographs to accompany the subject. The book starts off with Tools and materials, moves on to essential materials.
They start by talking about…wire of course! LOL Types of wire, temper, shapes and gauges. With a very handy wire gauge chart showing the wire diameter corresponding to the gauge size. Then onto beads and a millimeter chart with a visual of how big each of the sizes from a 2mm round to 20mm round bead.
What struck me about this book on wire wrapping was the section just before the patterns called Wire Fundamentals. This chapter teaches a lot of basic wire skills; once again with detailed step by step clear photographs. How to make jump rings and how to make a hook and clasp for a bracelet are just two of the first skills they teach. In the first project are the most concise directions for making a wrap (the essential skill for wire wrapping) that I have ever read anywhere. They even included how to fix a wrap with adjustments that I use all the time…..well not ALL the time! LOL
Each project builds on the skills and experience learned in the projects that came before. Starting with a basic wire bracelet and working through three more versions, each a little more complicated than the one before. There are three more bracelet designs, a wire wrapped ring, a stone pendant, and projects for a set of pattern wire bracelet, earrings, and pendant.
I know that even though I was perhaps more like intermediate in my level when I purchased this book, it helped solidify my skills and gave me a much greater understanding of wire wrapping. I had been struggling for a long time on my wraps, I only have access to round soft wire. Still the section on how to make a wrap helped me tremendously.
IN MY OPINION…… Excellently written, beautiful projects, great photographs. I highly recommend this book for someone looking to learn wire wrapping. However I will also say that if you are looking for a lot of different projects in one book…..this is not it. I look forward to reading the other two books that these fine artists have collaborated on. The photograph that accompanies this book review is of the Celtic Knot Bracelet that I made from one of the projects in “Wire Wrapping”.
