Sunday 16 May 2010

The WireWorkers Guild



















SKY PIXIE was
inspired by the wrapped bead
blog (below) and created
this new collection from
'Charity Shop' beads and
0.9mm bronze coloured wire!

It's called:
The Sherbert Summer Collection

I hope her pieces, in turn, will inspire
you to do some wrapping ...
































I T ' S A W R A P !
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Wrapping Beads
& Stones

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^







There are so many ways to wrap beads
and 'stones' with wire in order to decorate,
embellish and enhance your jewellery
designs. A very plain bead can be made
to look very unique with a little personal
wire wrapping customisation.

Below are some images of techniques
and variations that I have experimented
with over the years ... and I know I will
continue to develop more. Infact, my new
book (available now on pre-order from
www.amazon.co.uk) called 'Making
Beautiful Bead & Wire Jewellery' has a
brand new version - a pebble transformed
into a unique key-ring pendant with a
double-spiral wire wrap feature!

I hope this will inspire you all to start
wrapping and encasing your beads and
come up with your own original designs.
Please feel free to send in any images of
your wrapped inspired pieces
to linda.jones@wirejewellery.co.uk
(in JPEG format) and I will publish them
in the next blog!



















Bead Caged Necklace, Handbag Charm & Bracelet
with Spiral + Coil Wrapped Pendant Earrings

Cages are a great way of using up cheap, plastic beads, as all that can be seen is the colour and not the quality. They are also good for badly drilled beads or misshapen stones.




Open Caged Bead
(This is the same
as the cage - but
when you place a
large bead in a small
cage you end up
revealing more of the
bead. Re-thread the top
of the cage and bead with
wire, to ensure that the
bead cannot drop
out.



















Encased Marbles
(above)
This style of spiral encasing only works for round beads and marbles, again
this is a good way of enhancing a bead that has a badly drilled hole or no hole at all.
















Encased Beads (Small)
This encasing technique is created in a slightly different way to the 'encased marble' (above) but is a great way of caging small beads to create clusters and beaded tassels.



















Framed Stone or Cabochon Setting
This style of framing is suitable for cabochon styles, or non-drilled glass pendant shapes.



















Framed Drilled Bead
Using a similar technique to the framed glass pendant above, this bead is framed as well as threaded with the wire, with the excess wires used as top spiral decorations.



















Free-form Wrapped Pendant Bead
Another good way to use up cheap beads, as you can wrap the outer edges with wire and 'tweak' to tighten around the frame.
















Free-form Flat Wrap
This technique of free-form wrapping works on any shape, from beads to large pendant shapes.




















Horizontal Wrapped Stone
This style can be used on a non-drilled or drilled stone or bead.



















Vertical Wrapped Bead
Very similar technique to the horizontal (above) but this time, vertically wrapped.



















Wrapped Donuts
Plumbing washers, glass or semi-precious donut shapes all look great wrapped in wire. Experiment with coloured wires for this.



















Herringbone Bead Wrap
Fiddly but effective!


















Spiral Single Wrapped Beads
This is similar to creating a 'cage' whereby the spiral at the top and bottom hole of the bead acts like a bead cap.



















Single Wrap Beads
Use this single wrapped bead loop to enhance your threaded beads. The little 'tweak' or twist not only tightens the wire around the bead but creates added detail.

I think that's probably enough wrapping inspiration to get you started. So get that wire out and tip out some random beads from your stash and as Dizzy Rascal would say: "Get Rappin', Man!"



















Free-form Wrapped Bead with Wire & Bead Tassel
by www.wirejewellery.co.uk

Saturday 8 May 2010

The WireWorkers Guild






















Faux Pearls in a Cluster
by Frances @ The Bead Pot

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A R T I S T
S H O W C A S E

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

FRANCES @
THE BEADPOT

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
I came across 'THE BEADPOT' quite
by accident and was spellbound
by Frances's beautiful crochet wire
and jewellery designs.

I feel sure you will enjoy hearing
how Frances started on her
creative journey in our recent
interview and considering that
she has only been doing wirework
for just over a year - her work is
quite outstanding! She also has some
great advice for anyone thinking
about setting up an online shop.

WHEN DID YOU START MAKING JEWELLERY AND WHAT MADE YOU USE WIRE?

I have always been passionate about beads.
Seed beads and elastic cords were a large part of my teenage years and so was crocheting and knitting. However, just a little more than a
year ago, I started making jewellery.
I bought the basic tools, beads and findings to experiment on. I learnt to make basic charm bracelets and beaded earrings from downloadable videos over the internet. I also tried my hands at stringing, but although earrings were easy, I pretty quickly found myself getting bored with stringing bracelets and that was when I knew that my love for wires prevailed. I then realised that I wanted to do a lot more with wires and I started off by making and creating ranges of charm bracelets.

















(Above) - 'Garden of Eden' Charm Bracelet

TELL US ABOUT 'THE BEAD POT' - WHAT MADE YOU OPEN YOUR 'SHOP' AND HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT ADVERTISING YOUR SITE?

I started off by making bracelets and earrings as gifts for friends and relatives, which led to my realisation, that there was indeed a demand for handmade, customised items. It was then that I decided to start a blog and try selling my items online. Hence the birth of:
http://www.beadpot.blogspot.com

The blog has also made it very convenient for everyone to view my new items without physically meeting up.

Initially, the only mode of advertising was by word of mouth and then, an online reviewer spotted one of my items and my handmade pieces started selling. I have since exchanged links with other beaders with blogshops, linked up with most online reviewers, occasionally commented on relevant forums who promote handmade artisans and I recently started a Fan Page on Facebook, where I post updates.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Bead-Pot/187213012671?v=info#/pages/The-Bead-Pot/187213012671?v=wall


I do collaborate with Online Reviewers on Giveaways as well. Also, whenever I send out an item to one of my buyers, I include 'The Bead Pot' tags, stickers or business cards, so that I can be remembered and contacted for further sales.




'Caramel Swirl'
Bracelet









I occasionally do beading parties for girls aged 5 and above. With parents usually also present, they will get my contact details for future reference. Again, word of
mouth is important here.

For those who have more time, you can always participate in off-line flea markets or craft bazaars which could potentially increase and create traffic flow to the online site. However, you have to bear in mind that all these participations will also mean that you should have a lot more available ready stock at hand.




'Turquoise
Delight'
Bracelet














WHAT INSPIRES YOU MOST WHEN DESIGNING?
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE DESIGN?

I love walking into a bead shop and get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of beads, colours, shapes and sizes! I also like fabric with abstract designs and colours. It does give me an idea on how to mix and match my colours. Like others, I leaf through beading and jewellery books and magazines for ideas or new techniques and I also drool over exquisite wirework by other handmade artisans. I do have a lot of ideas, sometimes not knowing where, or when to start! I will sketch it out on paper if I have a clear visual in my head, or write down what I want to experiment on. At times, I just have a block and that's when I take a longer break than usual ...







'Turquoise
Delight' -
Crocheted
Bangle






I particularly like the colour of copper and I simply love charm bracelets. I also love spirals, swirls, twists and twirls and that is what WIRE is all about! My favourite design has to be my bangles and crocheted cuff bracelets.







'Peaches &
Strawberries'
Bangle









YOU CREATE BEAUTIFUL WIRE CROCHET DESIGNS. ARE YOU SELF-TAUGHT, OR HAVE YOU BEEN TO CLASSES?

I did sign up for a half-day basic wire jewellery class last year and after that, it's all creativity coupled with experiments and lots of practice. Goodness knows just how much wire I have wasted and beads and crystals I have broken! But hey, 'no loss, no gain', right? There's still A LOT to be learnt and a LONG way to go to reach where some great wirework artisans are
right now, but that's the growth journey and I'm going for it!













(Above) - 'Gardenville - Watermelon' Bangle

As I mentioned earlier, I learnt how to knit and crochet
as a teenager. So getting to put those skills to use and treat wire as yarn is exhilirating. I love the outcome and actually can't stop making them. Using different beads and different colour palettes and 'voila'!
















(Above) - 'Pearl Princess' Cuff

DESCRIBE YOUR AVERAGE WEEK WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS YOU DO?

I hold a full time job, so I only have about 2 to 3 hours every night before bedtime to work on bits of a project. It also really depends on the number of orders I get in the week. I usually complete easier projects first and finish the more complicated ones during the weekend. At the weekend, I try to do as much as I can during the day to maximise natural daylight (for photos of a completed project, etc...). Of course, not forgetting all the household chores too! (*laugh*!).













(Above) - 'Peach & Strawberries' Necklace Set

DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER INTERESTS BESIDES CREATING WIRE & BEAD JEWELLERY?

Playing and practising my violin used to take a whole lot of time in a week. The moment my beads and wires made an appearance I couldn't cope and my violin took a backseat seat and still does (*chuckles!*). In between my beads and wires, I also have a passion for baking and cooking which I indulge in during off-peak times, when my orders are low.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE WISHING TO SET UP AN ONLINE STORE?

My main tip is: passion. Without passion in what you do, the online store will not sustain itself. You should have loads of patience too. Patience when making mistakes - learning through trial and error, patience with frustrations - to try and try again ...

Bearing in mind that selling online means that buyers are unable to touch, hold or see the item they wish to buy, clear descriptions and precise measurements, as well as good, clear, large photographs (of all angles, if possible) are extremely important.

I currently maintain one online blogshop at:
http://www.beadpot.blogspot.com

and a fan page on Facebook at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Bead-Pot/187213012671?v=info#/pages/The-Bead-Pot/187213012671?v=wall


There are plenty of other sites such as eBay and Etsy that you can also use to sell and promote your handmade items in, but only if you're able to cope - should there be a surge in orders. Of course, I'm not saying it's bad too have many orders, however,
I personally believe in maintaining a good balance between hobby/passion and life itself.


'Happy Valley' (Teal) Necklace

Wednesday 5 May 2010

The WireWorkers Guild














**M A Y**
BUTTERFLIES


Take a look at JUNE's
MAKE JEWELLERY
magazine, which is just
about to hit the shelves ...

There is a Wedding theme
and they are also giving away
not one, but 2
F R E E metal
Butterfly charms!

I was given the task to come
up with some design inspiration
for these charms - and here are
some of the ideas I came up with ...
Maybe you would like to send some
of your ideas and designs in, so that
you can share them on the blog newsletter...










Above, is the charm which could be used as it is
(polished up or sanded down to a matt surface
with some wire wool) to create a pendant necklace,
key ring, suspended as earrings, or wired onto
a bracelet cuff ...


















How about wiring it with small beads and
connecting it onto a hairband? You could
continue decorating and embellishing the
hairband and turn it into a stylish fascinator ...



A corded necklace
or lariat could
also create a fashion
statement, especially
if you added a tassel!

You could also,
add extra sparkle
onto the butterfly
frame by wiring tiny
seed or crystal beads
and create the tassel
from cut-up chains ...

How about attaching both butterfly charms onto a
key-ring finding - you'd never lose your keys again!
Or create it as a handbag charm - these make great
gifts for friends, especially if you use their
birthstone colour to fully personalise it!
















I tried backing one of the butterflies with felt - you can just stitch the frame onto the material with a silver coloured or clear nylon thread.

This style of corded necklace
can be tied at varying heights
to suit different necklines,
with the pendant beads
suspended at the back
for extra detail and decoration.







I couldn't resist making a pair of statement earrings - creating a circular frame around the butterfly charms so that they had more visual impact!


















And finally, I thought I should try to make something pretty and decorative ... so here's a collar choker necklace with the butterflies wired with beads and sitting pretty amongst the flowers ...



















I think it's time I fluttered off!