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I see too many projects in magazines and books, photographed under a macro lens with TERRIBLE wire wrapping execution. Did no one else notice this? Don't let it happen to you! Wrapping your beads into place is an essential skill to perfect when making jewelry.

I'll explain this as if your bead is on a headpin (a piece of wire that has a stopper at one end already). For questions on tools see my article: Essential Jewelry Making Tools for Beginners.

For all of this you will be moving the wire with your fingers, not moving the wire with the pliers. The tool serves as more of a form and securing device.

1- After adding your bead, take your needle nose pliers and place the tip resting on the top of the bead, holding the wire. Make a 90 degree angle bending the wire with your fingers, over the pliers.

2- Replace the pliers with your round nose pliers. Grasp the wire at the angle you just made. Keep in mind that the further towards the tip of the pliers you make the loop, the smaller the loop will be.

* Important* if you see the wire as the number 7, you shoudl have one side of the pliers in the upper corner of the 7, and the other on top of it, not on the side.

3- With your fingers, bring the wire up and over the top of your pliers, stopping when the wire is pointing down.

4- Loosen your grip on the wire, and rotate your pliers- do not bend the wire- so that the loop you begin making is now around the bottom level of your pliers.

5- Bring the wire out to a 90 degree angle again. Remove your pliers. You should have what looks like a lollipop. If your loop looks like the letter "P", you weren't holding your round nose pliers corectly.

6- While the loop is still open, attach it to your chain, clasp, or whatever other closed opbject you may be attaching it to.

7- With your needle nose pliers, grasp the entire loop towards the back of your tool. This protects the circle you just spent all of that time making!

8- With your fingers or bent nosed pliers, grasp the end of the wire and wrap it from the base of the loop down to the bead.

9- Cut off your excess and you are done!

(for Free step-by-step pictured instructions, see the "Learning" section of www.InspiredByStones.com)

Despi te the artist's defense of "that is just my look", if it is going to sooner than later break, it shouldn't be "your look". Jewelry is supposed to LOOK delicate, not actually BE that delicate.

Learn more about this author, Karey Grant.
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