If you're like me, you have a collection of beautiful stones and crystals that you just can't bear to leave sitting in a drawer. Well, have I got the solution for you! Welcome to "Your Rock or Mine," a shop dedicated to the art of wire wrapping and rockhounding favorites.
I had been collecting rocks and crystals for years (among other things that I find fascinating, like seashells and sharks teeth lol). So needless to say since I am a little older now I thought, what am I going to do with all of these things? I don't want to just leave them in a set of drawers or boxes. So off to another rabbit hole on youtube to figure it out lol.
I started seeing videos on rockhounding, wire wrapping, cabochons and jewelry in general and thought well surely I can do some of that. At least I will have a practical use for my precious, pretty stones and crystals. I started looking on Amazon and Hobby Lobby (my local craft store here in East Tennessee) and managed to spend a ton of money, not even sure of what I needed, so heck just buy what looks like I have seen in videos I thought, lol. (Not a good idea). I bought so much that I did not really need and there was so much I SHOULD have bought. Needless to say there were a few trips to the craft store.
At this point I thought wire wrapping looks fun so I sat down and started with my pile of supplies in front of me and my t.v. Yeah that was fun lol, more like funny. I tried to make loops and swirls and weaving patterns only to have my weaving pattern pieces look like the Dragon (It is a road here in East Tennessee that has 137 hair pin curves in it). Not to mention my fingers hurt so bad for the next few days. I had to find a better way.
The first step in wire wrapping is choosing the right wire. I recommend using a soft, malleable metal like copper. This material is easy to work with and can be shaped into intricate designs. Typically for most basic designs you will want to use a 20ga (gauge) base wire and a 28ga wrapping wire. For the base wire most people buy dead soft, it is easier to manipulate and cheaper. I do not suggest buying anything expensive right now, this is all for practice and getting the hang of it. After you get into this a little deeper and want to do better quality things then you can buy a higher grade of wire. This hobby/profession takes A LOT of wire. It can take 5 feet of wire to do really heavy weaving on just one piece of jewelry.
You will also need just a basic set of jewelry tools from amazon or your local craft store, these will be fine to start with Make sure they have a set of Nylon Pliers in them or order them seperate. These are so incredibly handy and great for wire straightening. As you learn what type of wire wrapping you want to do, you will learn more of what you do and do not need for your new endeavor.
The key to successful wire wrapping is tension. If you have ever done sewing, cross stitch, knitting or crochet then you know that tension is key. Don't pull too hard on the thin weaving wire as you wrap it around the base wires. Start with simple techniques like the basic wrapping patterns that can be found on amazon in books or on youtube or even on Etsy if you like pdf with photos rather than videos. There is also Patreon but I would hold off on those until you are ready to pay monthly for tutorials. Look for beginner wire wraps. Start with weaving patterns or just basic beginner wraps.
One of the best things about wire wrapping is that it allows you to truly express your creativity. Whether you're drawn to bold, geometric designs or delicate, organic shapes, animals, even aquatic life, the possibilities are endless. Once I started and got the twisting right and the tension right then I was hooked. I wanted to learn everything and I will tell you it will take years to learn a lot and I don't think you can ever learn everything. There are always new tips, tricks and techniques coming out that will sometimes just make it easier and other times blow you away.
Speaking of Tips and Tricks
Tip One: Protect your fingers. This does not have to be costly at all. I had some old vet wrap and used that. Not too many times around the fingers, you still want to feel what you are doing. (Old nail tech trick, put a little good lotion on your finger tips before you do the vet wrap, that will also help with callous build up). If you do not have vet wrap you can use bandaids from the cheapest place you can get them.
Tip Two: Warm your wire that you have cut and you are going to use with your hands. It does not take a lot especially if you use raw copper, the transfer of the heat from your hands makes it easier to move around and bend.
Tip Three: Sit someplace comfortable, you are going to be here a while. You can sit at a table or anything you want but make sure you are really comfy.
Tip Four: There is such a thing as getting to know a stone. Not just to look at it. When buying stones, I know many people use the inyternet and I do too, however I buy raw stones and create my own Cabochons. Even then I may have a stone for months before I wrap it. I will keep it close by and hold it, touch it, set it next to a color of wire. For some of us, we have to get to know the stone first, it's texture, its feel, it's look in different lights. Don't get frustrated if you have certain stones that you try to wrap and don't like or you just can't seem to do it yet. It will come, with time.
Tip Five: Take your time, look at this as an investment. It takes time to build, time to learn, time to get a feel for it. You might do great work off the bat but I guarantee you in a year of steady practicing and making you will be 10 times better.
Tip Six: Spend a ton of time looking at other peoples designs, see what kind you really like, draw inspiration from others, keep a photo file of your favorite pieces and build on that. It reminds us of the beauty of wire wrapping, it humbles us when we realize we know very little, and it is so inspiring to see something out of our comfort zone that drives us to be better at the craft.
I now love to create everything from simple to intricate designs to texturizing, soldering, and different types of wire doing the same design will look very different. You can play with colored wire or add beads and charms to your pieces, even use a torch to create color on your metal. There is so much to the jewelry making world. It takes time to really figure out what you love and what is just "ok". You may decide this is just not for you or you may be hooked, only time will tell.
Whether you want to do this as a hobby, as a side gig or as a business, it is important to understand your stones if working with them. Not all of them are healthy to work with so do your research, especially if you start cutting your own stones, like Tiger Eye, masks are definitely necessary as it contains asbestos. Now when it is polished it is fine, only when you are cabbing does it become airborne, then you can have issues. Be dilligent, do research, but have fun and enjoy this. Like Bob Ross used to say "There are no mistakes, just happy little accidents" and those may lead to something extraordinary. Till next time, everyone take care!
