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Wire Wrapping Techniques
Learn how to entrap stones and other small objects using fundamental wire wrapping techniques, pliers, and your hand skills in this live, virtual course. Students will begin by implementing numerous types of wires and pliers in order to bend, tie, and manipulate a wire form with a securely set stone at the center.
Varying methods of securing stones will be covered, include weaving, coiling, and framing patterns. Heat, glue, and hammers will not be needed, as the techniques taught in this course utilize only pliers! Students will enhance their understanding of wire and its potential to accentuate jewelry work through layers of cascading texture. No previous experience required, but patience and strong hand dexterity strongly encouraged!
For more information about virtual courses, visit our Virtual Course FAQ page.
Please read the Materials & Tools tab!
Meet the instructor
Stemming from southern NH, Steven taught himself how to make wire-wrapped jewelry in 2012, while attending undergraduate classes at his local college. The following year, he moved to Salem, MA to fulfill his BA in Biology and started making jewelry full-time as DNA Organic Designs. He graduated from SSU in 2017, and has been moving forward with learning more metalsmithing techniques. He looks forward to sharing his art with you, and to help you create unique, wire-wrapped jewelry.
With DNA Organic Designs, he has created several hundred one-of-a-kind pieces for clients all over the world. His specialties are working in silver and gold, creating pendants, rings, earrings, as well as bone centered desktop displays out of wire. More recently, he has began sheet metal fabrication, lost-wax casting, and engraving.
Materials & Tools
The following supplies will be used for course demonstrations and objectives. A suggested item and/or vendor has been provided below for reference. Click the vendor name (in red) to be redirected to a page where you can find the item. The quantities needed for each item are listed first. If ordering, please be aware that some items may come in larger quantities than needed for this class. We recommend not opening an item's packaging until the day of the workshop. Student participation during or in-between class sessions is strongly encouraged but not required - observers are welcome.
Metal/raw materials (copper is recommended for practice):
- 4ft x round wire - 18g (Rio Grande)
- 15ft x round wire - 26g (Rio Grande)
- 4ft x square wire - 19g (Rio Grande)
- small stones or object - 0.5" to 1.5" recommended
Hand tool:
- 1 x round nose pliers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x chain nose pliers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x flat nose pliers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x snips / flush cutters (Rio Grande)
- optivisors or glasses - if needed
- any extra wire you wish to use (similar dimensions as listed above)