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Wire Jewelry Lessons
wirejewelrylessons.blogspot.com
74
For wire-art jewelry enthusiasts! Articles, essays, tutorials and more... If you want to make beautiful wire jewelry, this is the place to be.
#18680 in All

NEW Book Available Now!

I'm so excited to announce today that, at long last, my new book Wire Art Jewelry is available to order!I just received the "proof copy" today, and it looks great. Full-color glossy paperback cover, ...

24 nov 09

Book Review: Contemporary Copper Jewelry

It feels a little strange reviewing my own book, but I so rarely get the opportunity to do so, I might as well...Contemporary Copper Jewelry is my fifth book (my bestseller, Bead on a Wire, was publi...

22 aug 09

Useful Tools: Small Embossing Hammer

A reader recently emailed to ask me about the small embossing hammer that I use in my DVD, Ethnic Style Jewelry Workshop, and also in some of the new workshops that I've been teaching. I just love th...

03 aug 09

Etruscan Earrings Tutorial

During my travels throughout Europe, I take every opportunity to explore the little museums that house small collections of jewelry. I'm always amazed by how similar our modern wire jewelry is to the...

27 jul 09

Book Review: Beautiful Wire Jewelry for Beaders

This is such a terrific book, I can hardly wait to tell you about it! A friend of mine purchased a copy of Beautiful Wire Jewelry for Beaders, and she recently loaned it to me because she was curious...

20 jul 09

Twisting Fine-Gauge Wire Tutorial

I often teach my students how to twist their own wire to make jump rings, using either 16ga or 14ga wire and a battery-operated Makita drill to accomplish the job. You can buy wire pre-twisted, but i...

14 jul 09

Magazine Review: Step by Step Wire Jewelry (summer 09 issue)

I just received my summer 2009 issue of Step by Step Wire Jewelry, so of course I had to blog about it. This is one of my favorite beading magazines because it really is focused on wire-art jewelry, ...

12 jul 09

Stacked Washers Bracelet Tutorial

Ever since I first discovered a box of copper washers in various sizes at my local Harbor Freight store, I've had a "thing" for them. I'm sure that anyone who works with metal to make jewelry or enjo...

06 jul 09

A Wire Jewelry Adventure in Cortona, Italy

It's been so busy here the past 10 days with house guests and a workshop at the Idyllwild Arts campus, I haven't had time to do a proper jewelry lesson for my usual post. I took a plein-air painting ...

03 jul 09

Cage-Bead Tutorial

Cage-beads are versatile elements that add a bit of whimsy to bracelets and necklaces. I think they're fun, and easy to make. Best of all, cage-beads can easily be changed by using various gauges and...

26 jun 09

Cage-Bead Bracelet Tutorial

In my previous post, I demonstrated making cage beads with 16ga round copper wire. Once you've made several beads, they can be used with other beads and wire links in various jewelry pieces. Or you c...

26 jun 09

Book Review: The Complete Metalsmith

I like to share my thoughts on the books I find most useful in my own home studio, the ones I actually consult for research and inspiration.Master metalsmith Tim McCreight published one of those indi...

19 jun 09

Useful Tools: Bench Blocks

Since we've discussed chasing hammers and hard-plastic mallets in previous posts, I think it's time for a quick note on steel bench blocks.You see two bench blocks shown here; one is 4 inches square,...

17 jun 09

Father's Day Tie Necklace Tutorial

This fun project is just in time for Father's Day, which is coming up this Sunday. A tie-necklace includes a wire hanger that suspends from a man's shirt button and is hidden behind the tie. The chai...

15 jun 09

Book Review: Wirework by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Dale "Cougar" Armstrong's long-awaited text on elegant wire jewelry making has just been released!If you're a fan of Dale's classic style of fine-art jewelry, you've probably taken her workshops or r...

12 jun 09

Useful Tools: Hard-Plastic Mallets

In a previous post, I discussed the importance of having a well-made chasing hammer with a convex (slightly rounded) face. In this post, I'd like to briefly discuss hard-plastic mallets.Unlike a chas...

11 jun 09

Cleaning Wire: Why & How

A reader recently emailed me to ask the following question:"Why do you always start with cleaning the wire with steel wool? I always straighten the wire by running my fingers down the length a few ti...

10 jun 09

Triplet Jump Ring Bracelet Tutorial

I love wearing this big, chunky bracelet made with intertwined triple jump rings and bead connectors on 12ga copper wire. It's big and bold, but the ceramic beads are lightweight enough to make this ...

09 jun 09

S-Clasp with Bead Tutorial

Now that you know how to make a big S-clasp after following the tutorial on my previous post, you might want to consider dressing it up with a wire-wrapped bead. This is a simple way to add color and...

04 jun 09

Useful Tools: Chasing Hammers

One of the few essential tools you'll need as a wire jewelry artist is a good-quality chasing hammer. I use my hammer just about every day, and feel that it's very important to have a dependable tool...

03 jun 09

Big S-Clasp Tutorial

I love making my own jewelry components—jump rings, connecting elements, clasps, and the like. It's a sure way to add a personal touch to your jewelry and attract buyers interested in handmade art-to...

02 jun 09

Fiber-Bead Earrings Tutorial

Oops! I meant to post this yesterday, and completely forgot. If you enjoyed making a fiber-bead necklace from my previous post, you'll want a pair of matching earrings.These are made with copper wire...

31 may 09

Magazine Review: Art Jewelry (July 09 issue)

Since I advertise in Art Jewelry magazine, they sent me a preview copy that I just received today. It's a really good issue, so I thought I'd give you a head's-up.The cover story is "How to Master Wi...

28 may 09

Fiber-Bead Necklace Tutorial

This fun necklace is really easy to make and looks terrific with a T-shirt and jeans or a little black dress. What I like about this project is that it's fun to make, cute to wear, and it's super-che...

27 may 09

Tip: Bead Storage

For today's tip, I thought I'd share my thoughts on bead storage.In a previous post, I talked about my favorite way to store and organize wire for jewelry making. Once you've mastered that, beads nat...

26 may 09

Simple Eyepin Loop Tutorial

A simple (unwrapped) eye-pin loop is one of those very basic, looks-really-easy wire techniques that every jewelry artist should master. But I have rarely seen a good eye-pin loop, even on expensive ...

25 may 09

Double Wrapped Eyepin Tutorial

Mastering the double-wrapped eye-pin loop is an essential skill for any wire jewelry artist. There are several steps to making eye-pin loops that are beautifully shaped, but once you've practiced the...

22 may 09

Book Review: Silver Wire Jewelry

This book is an oldie, but a goodie for sure!A great reference text, Silver Wire Jewelry introduces beginners and intermediate jewelry artists to various types of wirework through its terrific projec...

21 may 09

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