Copyright 2009 Donna Spadafore

 

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This wire wrapping tutorial shows you how to make a wire wrapped connector post. I’d like to give a special thanks to Donna for submitting so many beautiful tutorials. You can find more of her tutorials on my website linking from the Making Wire Jewelry page

Enjoy!

Instructions

This wire wrapping tutorial teaches you to make a small wrapped “post” that connects two frame wires. This is a technique that is very versatile and can be used for many different projects. Some examples of applications for this technique can be seen on the last page of this tutorial.

Materials

  • 2′ 26 or 28 gauge wire
  • 10″ 20 gauge wire

Tools

  • Flat nose pliers
  • Wire cutters

Step 1

Cut 20g wire in half.

Step 2

Coil the 26g wire onto one of the 20g wires. Since this is just a practice strip, you can coil as much or as little as you like. However, I would recommend coiling at least a 1″ section. Cut the wrapping wire and press the end close to the 20g wire.

Step 3

Start wrapping the 26 gauge wire onto the other 20 gauge wire. Wrap a section approximately ¼” long.

Step 4

Holding the two wires somewhat parallel to each other, and a little over ¼” apart, wrap the coiling wire you are working with around the first 20g wire, than back to the second wire.

Step 5

Bring the coiling wire back once more to the first 20g wire, wrap underneath it, then up between the two 20g wires.

Step 6

Wrap the coiling wire around the section of wire that is between the two 20g wires.

Step 7

Continue wrapping this section until you reach the second 20g wire again.

Step 8

Bring the coiling wire up over the second 20g wire and continue wrapping as before.

I would suggest doing a full strip of these posts as practice before using them on a piece of jewelry. When practicing, try to keep the two 20g wires spaced evenly apart along the entire length of the strip.

You can space them farther apart than instructed in step 4, if you like. I have made posts like this up to ½” in length that have held together well.
I used the practice strip I made to illustrate this tutorial as the band for this Seraphinite and Smokey Quartz ring (left).
This technique is also used heavily in the “Ammonite Wrap” pendant shown below. By using this technique, I was able to create one continuous spiral around both the front and back.
I also used this technique to create the border on the Aquamarine and Muscovite pendants below. After creating the wire frame for the border on the aquamarine pendant, I filled it in with tiny white freshwater pearls. For the muscovite pendant, I added the beads as I was making the frame by putting the bead onto the coiling wire, wrapping it around the pendant base, and then bringing the wire back through the bead to the frame wire.

About the Artist: Donna Spadafore is a self taught jewelry artist who has spent years improving her techniques and creating new, original jewelry designs. She now teaches many of her designs to her students using on-line tutorials available on her web-site. If you are interested in learning new and wonderful jewelry techniques, go to https://www.wirejewelrytutorials.com/

 

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About the Author

Christine Gierer

I'm Christine Gierer and I'm obsessed with making jewelry and teaching others how to do it too. I've been a creative person all my life, and I've done all kinds of things like art, sociology, and counseling. But nothing makes me happier than playing with beads, wires, and tools and sharing my tips and tricks with you. I have two awesome websites where you can find tons of tutorials, courses, and workshops on how to make jewelry and how to sell it online.

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