How to... WIRE WRAPPED BEAD LINKS

When I started making jewelry, I was fortunate enough to have a friend show me how to do some simple wire-wrapping. Everything else, I learned with video and step-by-step blog posts. Unfortunately, the majority of these posts would stop at step ten and tell me to go back and repeat steps. I found this a little frustrating, as I am a very visual learner.

Here is my step-by-step guide to making a wire wrapped bead link.

Step one: Begin with a flush-cut length of wire at least 4 inches long.

Step two:

Grasp the wire with round nose pliers about 1 inch from one end, with the short end facing upward.

Step three:

Bend the wire away from you.

Step four:

Adjust grip a quarter turn counter-clockwise.

Step five:

Bend short end wire back.

Step six:

Continue bending the wire back over the round nose pliers with the short end behind the long end.

Step seven:

Wrap shorter wire around longer wire two times creating a coil.

Step eight:

Cut excess with wire cutters.

Step nine:

String bead on to wire.

Step ten:

Grasp wire with pliers at base of the bead.

Step eleven:

Bend the wire at a 90-degree angle just above the bead. I use the length of the plier nose – this length typically equals 2 wire wraps.

Step twelve:

While keeping your grip with you pliers, wrap the wire over the top round nose.

Step thirteen:

Continue bending the wire back over the round nose pliers with the short end behind the long end.

Step fourteen:

Pull wire across longer wire and wrap wire around approximately 2 times creating a coil until you hit the link.

Both sides should have the same number of wraps.

Step fifteen:

Cut excess with wire cutters.