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A fun way to add some coloured, lacy detail to your wire-wrapped designs, these beaded borders are also easy to make and in this tutorial I'll show you how to have them looking perfect on two different shapes – round and pointed.
Moreover, you will see how to adjust this design to fit a prong-set stone.
I will also include some tips on silver sheet reticulation as well as my signature wire layering. These two techniques will help you lift your wire-wrapped jewellery to another level and showcase your metal-forming skills in full scope.
Finally, in a mini-tutorial you will learn how to use scraps of your reticulated silver sheet to create a nice soldered bail.
This tutorial explains 2 designs in detail and gives an insight into one variation, 2 different techniques and includes a mini tutorial for a bail.
The 10.65 MB file includes 35 pages illustrated with 68 high-resolution (300dpi) pictures. All steps are described in detail and photos have been altered to improve the overall understanding of the techniques.
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NOTE: all measurements are given in centimeters (cm).
KNOWLEGDE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS PROJECT:
- basic soldering skills – soldering silver frames, soldering simple wire prongs, balling ends of wire.
- basic to intermediate wire-wrapping skills
TOOLS YOU WILL NEED:
- torch (can be a micro butane torch, I'm using Proxxon MFB/E-28146)
- soldering equipment (soldering block, solder pick, tweezers, pickle - anything you usually use to solder silver)
- chain nose pliers (preferably with tiny, precise tips)
- nylon jaw pliers
- round nose pliers
- wire cutters
- heavy duty scissors (for cutting the shape out of the silver sheet)
- hole punching piers or a fine 1mm drill
- hammer and bench block
- fine files, sanding paper sponges and other abrasives you usually use to adjust the shape of silver sheet and remove minor tool marks.
- patina of your choice (I'm using cold oxide liquid available in my country) and abrasive pads to remove the excess, if you don't want the jewellery to be solid black
- tumbler with mixed stainless steel shot to polish and harden the finished piece.
MATERIALS PER ONE PENDANT:
- a piece of sterling silver sheet – approximately 4 x 4cm, 0,4 or 0,5mm thick
- 10cm of 1,2mm (16 gauge) sterling silver wire (for the frame)
- 45cm of 0,8mm (20 gauge) fine silver wire (for wire-layering)
- 20cm (teardrop) or 60cm (marquise) of 0,7mm (22 gauge) fine silver wire (for wire-layering)
- 30cm of 0,5mm (24 gauge) fine silver wire (for stringing beads)
- 150cm of 0,4mm (26 gauge) fine silver wire (for wrapping)
- solder for the frame
- about 25 round 2mm gemstone beads with holes sufficient for 0,5mm wire (I used red coral and white howlite)
- (OPTIONAL) chain to suspend the pendant and additional beads if you want to decorate it.
NOTE: The amounts of wire may vary depending on your wrapping skills and your design ideas when it comes to the size and density of wire-layered structures - you may expand them adding more wire.
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If you have any questions concerning this tutorial, please, do not hesitate to contact me.
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PLEASE, give credit when making jewellery using the techniques you’ve learned via this lesson – it’s always nice to see your work appreciated by fellow artisans :)
Also, please, do not mass produce jewellery based on this design.
Do not share, copy, multiply or distribute this tutorial and/or any of its parts as this would constitute copyright infringement.