WRAPPED WITH wire

Expert Advice for Getting Started

- DEB BRANDT

Wire wrapping is among the earliest forms of handmade jewelry. Dating back to 2000 B.C., wire has been used to secure and frame both found and created elements. It is a dynamic way to create jewelry with tension and shaping of wire.

"Wirework was discovered in ancient tombs," explained Judi Wild, wire instructor at the William Holland School of Lapidary. "Wire wrapping is used to make a much more elegant piece than its individual materials would indicate. No heat, glue or solder; just tension and shaping of the wire make the piece come together."

Wild explained that wire wrapping has changed over time. It continues to change and yet stays the same as pieces include polished cabochons as well as other mediums such as glass, intarsia, gemstones, beads and shells. The ongoing changes in wire work keep it fresh, new and modern.

Wild started as a student of wire work at William Holland learning the foundations of traditional wire wrapping that she now teaches. And while different styles help capture the types of stones one wants to wrap; she also prepares her students to create professional fine jewelry-level wire wrapping.

WIRE WRAPPING TECHNIQUES 

From the beginner to the experienced professional, here are some techniques that represent the diversity of wire.

Prongs - Wild explains that she teaches how to build prongs as one of the central techniques to wire wrapping. Prongs are often seen in rings that hold gemstones. They are a durable way of setting an element in a wire piece. Prongs create a seat for the stone and become part of the puzzle of a larger wire structure.