Making Jewellery - August 2016

94 makingjewellery.com

TIPS & TECHNIQUES

BASIC TECHNIQUES

HOW TO MAKE A WRAPPED LOOP

Thread a bead onto a head or eye

pin. Grip the wire with round nose

pliers next to the bead.

Bend the wire above the plier jaw

to a right angle. You will need

about 2mm of wire above the bead

before the bend.

Move the plier jaws to sit at the top

of the bend.

Keep pushing the wire around the

jaw until you meet the bead.

Move the pliers around the loop and

continue to bend the wire around

until it is facing out at a right angle

and you have a complete loop.

Use a pair of chain nose pliers to

hold across the loop fi rmly.

Thread the bead onto a head or

eye pin and cut the pin about 1cm

above the bead. Bend the wire to a

right angle above the bead.

Roll the wire around to meet the

bead. If it does sit centrally move

the plier jaws around the loop

to sit by the bead away from the

open end. Bend the loop back to sit

directly above the bead.

Using round nose pliers, grasp the

wire at the very end and curl it

around the plier jaws.

With your thumb push the wire

back around the pliers, keeping it

tight to the jaw.

Wrap the wire around the neck of

the loop until it meets the bead.

Snip off any excess wire and push

the end against the coil to fi nish.

Use chain nose pliers to tighten

the loop by twisting it from side

to side. Do not pull it outwards as

that will distort the shape.

MAKING A SIMPLE LOOP

PHOTOGR APHS: SIAN HAMILTON

MJ96_P94-96_Basic Techs SH.indd 94 23/06/2016 11:36