Sandy
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since July 2014
Posts: 91 
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Post by Sandy on Aug 20, 2014 0:27:39 GMT -5
I have seen some absolutely stunning wire wrapped pieces here. So I was wondering if you don't mind me asking.....Would you guys mind sharing...how long you have been wire wrapping? How did you learn? What would you say was one of the most important things you learned when starting out?
I have been trying to teach myself. At times it's not as easy as it looks. |
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Aug 20, 2014 6:34:43 GMT -5
Well I did some digging in the forum and it looks like I posted my first ever wire wrap on July 29th 2013. I honestly never thought I would be able to wrap stones. I had Tela wrap a couple stones for me and when I seen those in person I just thought there was no way I would ever be able to do it but with her help and others on the forum I can now finish off my cabs with some pretty decent looking wraps. here's my first wrap. The side cage wires poking out at the bottom were pretty bad.  Three days later I posted my 3rd wrap. I used one of Tela's great wraps to figure out a bail that I could do and still like this style of bail for most of my wraps.  The best advice I was given to move forward and make better wraps was taping the nose of my pliers to avoid scuff marks and to use good wire. Craft store wire was much harder to work with. I think in Randy's tutorial he recommended that when you first start wrapping you should do one wrap a day for 10 days straight so I did that. That worked pretty good and it nice to see the progression from day 1 to day 10. July 9th 2014 (almost exactly one year later)   Chuck |
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Post by rockjunquie on Aug 20, 2014 16:43:37 GMT -5
Wow, Drummond Island Rocks! Chuck, great answer. Seeing is believing. Love the trip down memory lane. LOL! It seems like so much longer that you have been doing it. (Time flies.) You have come a long way.  |
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Post by rockjunquie on Aug 20, 2014 16:48:53 GMT -5
I've been wrapping since about 1999, I think. One day, I'll have to figure out the exact date. I think I still have some receipts. Anyway, I started by learning wire sculpting from video tape and then taught myself border wrapping, which I like more. I don't like covering up the stone. Most of my "career" has been centered around less is more. I think starting out, the best thing I figured out was that I didn't like wire sculpting. I also didn't have a lot of preconceived notions about wrapping because I hadn't seen a lot of it and never saw it done in person. So, starting out, I didn't have any preset limitations. I did my own thang. |
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Sandy
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since July 2014
Posts: 91
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Post by Sandy on Aug 20, 2014 21:49:41 GMT -5
Chuck, your wraps even the first one looks really is nice. I agree with Tela, I believe that wrapping should showcase the stone. Both of you wrap that way. I am also glad you shared that about the craft wire. I have been using wire I got from Michaels. I was thinking that sterling wire might be easier to work with. I will post some of my pictures. Keep in mind please, I haven't been doing this very long . I haven't taken any lessons, just tried looking at a bunch of pictures. I have been making bracelets with crystals and gemstone beads for a couple of years and always been intrigued by wire wrapping. Pics to follow.
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Post by rockjunquie on Aug 20, 2014 21:53:52 GMT -5
Copper is cheap and really forgiving. It's great to start with and you can give it a patina. If you mess up you aren't out a lot of money, too.
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Sandy
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since July 2014
Posts: 91
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Post by Sandy on Aug 20, 2014 22:24:39 GMT -5
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Sandy
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since July 2014
Posts: 91
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Post by Sandy on Aug 20, 2014 22:29:48 GMT -5
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transcendental
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2014
Posts: 459
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Post by transcendental on Aug 21, 2014 8:30:16 GMT -5
Your bead work is incredible! The more wraps you make the better you'll be. If you get frustrated, put it down and walk away. Pick it back up later with a cooler head
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Post by rockjunquie on Aug 21, 2014 16:16:35 GMT -5
Agreed, your beadwork is great! The wraps are pretty damn nice, too. Looks like you only have a little trouble with the bail. Everyone does, so don't sweat it. It'll come. |
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Thunder69
Cave Dweller 
Thunder 2000-2015
Member since January 2009
Posts: 3,105
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Post by Thunder69 on Aug 21, 2014 20:10:21 GMT -5
These are my first 2 wraps ..Feb 2009  Second Wrap  These are my latest works...As you can see A world of difference..LOl    It just boils down to the 3 P's ...Practice . Persistence , And most important ,Patience...Look over Bikerrandys tutorial..It is what I used to learn most of what I know...And groove wrapping I got from Adrian...Keep it up and your bead work is stunning....John |
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Sandy
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since July 2014
Posts: 91
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Post by Sandy on Aug 21, 2014 21:53:47 GMT -5
i appreciate all the kind words. They are really very encouraging. Also Thunder69 thanks for sharing your photos. I love the Moss, that being my favorite stone. The difference in your wraps are amazing. As are yours Chuck. Tela, you are spot on about the bails. I can't tell you how many projects I have worked on at night, feeling fairly good about the wrapping, and then put it down. Being unsure about how to do it, knowing there is a good chance I won't like, I don't care to finish it so I can go to bed on a good note. I know if I don't like it, I'll just cut the wrap off and start over. I probably have about 50 - 70 bracelets that I have designed. I have created some for people using certain stones. I have always liked the uniqueness of them. I actually stumbled on Bikerrandy's tutorial, when I was first starting. Its amazing how thorough it is. It made it look so easy. I'll check out the groove wrapping one. This is going to resemble a novel soon, so thanks again for all the positive comments....I have gotten a lot of that from this forum. I may post more pictures soon of both beadwork and wrappings.
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Post by wireholic on Aug 22, 2014 14:44:14 GMT -5
Love your beadwork! I first learned wirework when I was a teenager from an artist in a Colonial Revival Village. When we moved, I had no access to supplies or teacher so it was more than 30 years before I discovered it again. I've been wrapping again now for about 5-6 yrs and do some sculpting, some border wraps, some weaving, some filigree... a little bit of everything. The internet makes it so easy to learn new techniques! And then you can mix & match the techniques & create your own style  5 |
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Post by wireholic on Aug 22, 2014 14:46:30 GMT -5
WOW - that showed up huge! I never realized the weaving on the bottom was so uneven! That piece is about 1.25 inches from bail to bottom
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Post by rockjunquie on Aug 22, 2014 15:13:22 GMT -5
WOW - that showed up huge! I never realized the weaving on the bottom was so uneven! That piece is about 1.25 inches from bail to bottom Nothing like a close up, huh? LOL! I have completely missed stuff until I saw the picture of it. |
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Sandy
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since July 2014
Posts: 91
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Post by Sandy on Aug 23, 2014 2:43:58 GMT -5
Karen .....I love the way you did that bail. @ John, I reread over biker Randy's tutorial. It made more sense now than when I was first starting. I totally missed the extra wire on the bail. It takes all the deciding out of it. I was always trying to figure out which wire to wrap it with. Thanks for all the compliments on my beadwork. Hopefully, I get this like I do that. I think sometimes I could do that in my sleep.
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transcendental
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2014
Posts: 459
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Post by transcendental on Aug 23, 2014 9:11:28 GMT -5
WOW - that showed up huge! I never realized the weaving on the bottom was so uneven! That piece is about 1.25 inches from bail to bottom The imperfections just mean it was crafted by hand with love ; ) |
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Sandy
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since July 2014
Posts: 91
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Post by Sandy on Aug 24, 2014 6:56:46 GMT -5
I photographed these to send to someone, so I thought I'd share them here, too. The 8mm rounds are Charoite. The 6mm's and 4mm's on the left are Lepidolite. 4mm's on the right are Amethyst.  
Thanks for looking. |
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Tommy
Administrator 
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,989
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Post by Tommy on Aug 24, 2014 14:32:08 GMT -5
This is my first wrap - I've never shown this on the board before. The picture date is 3/27/13.  This is my "favorite" (almost said latest but that wouldn't be correct) - I got tired and frustrated trying to do full wraps on the quality and creativity level of Tela and Chuck and others so I took an old idea (watched a soumak weaving video on YouTube) and developed something somewhat original I think.  I've all but stopped wrapping lately because I can't keep up with cabochon production for our Etsy store. |
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Aug 24, 2014 16:49:05 GMT -5
I've all but stopped wrapping lately because I can't keep up with cabochon production for our Etsy store. No surprise there. your cabs are top notch and reasonably priced too. Chuck |
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