Twining a cylinder

Jewelry Discussion
1

I have been practicing weaving and twining with wire and metal
strips. I would like to attempt to make a twined hollow cylinder
bangle bracelet. I tried making a flat piece and then bending it
into a cylinder, but that doesn’t work.

I am thinking that I could perhaps use a cotton core and twine
around it, but cannot visualize how the warp wires could be held in
a circle. Anyone?

Thanks in advance.

Karen

2

I suggest that you contact Munya Upin. She does wonderful twining
and you can see her work in the book on metal weaving by Arlene
Fresch.

john

3

Hi Karen,

I am thinking that I could perhaps use a cotton core and twine
around it, but cannot visualize how the warp wires could be held
in a circle. Anyone?

I am working with some of the same ideas and have been using dowels
as cores then slipping it off. I am thinking that you could use a PVC
(possibly 2 1/2" if you can find it - then tape the warp to it with
duct tape. That could be a problem because of getting it off without
damaging the wires, so you could even drill holes for your warp
around one end and tuck one end of the wire in there and work from
there down then finish each end as you originally planned.

The only problem I have had with the core is that I have sometimes
woven it too tightly and had a problem slipping it off. If that is a
problem, you might be able to put a 3 mill plastic between your
weaving and the core then slip it out before you try to bring it off
of the PVC.

You can see some of the baskets and on my workshop log at
http://www.jewelryspectrum.com/workbench

The pages are pretty short last 6 months will have photos.

I will be teaching wire weaving at Wildacres in September and we
will start with the basket so we can go from there.

Hope it helps,
Louise

4

Karen, I have seen that done by using a dowel rod for the weft wire
(support) held in place with a rubber band. You just keep twining in
a circle until you have the length you need. An excellent book for
you would be Textile Techniques in Metal by Arlene Frisch.

5

Karen,

I’ve not heard the term “twining”, but if you don’t like the idea of
bending a flat piece around, and would like a nice even weave, you
might consider tying a knot with a single piece of wire. Look up
“turk’s head knot”.

Loren

6

Thanks for your suggestions, but one more question. If using a dowel
of some sort, the length of the cylinder can be set. However, how
would it be possible to bend the cylinder into a bangle? Wouldn’t
the shape be lost? Thanks again!

7

Hi,

Loren weaves bracelets on a jig made on a piece of PVC and they come
off then he can shape them. I have seen him shape a bracelet to
shape using a plastic spoon (it was not woven on a circular jig, but
the spoon created the curve around the wrist and a slight dome shape
on the bracelet. I would imagine you can slip it on your bracelet
mandrel (one side then the other so it doesn’t slope. Also. If you
are going to do this type of thing pretty frequently, there is a
stepped bracelet mandrel you might even be able to weave on. You
probably can shape it with your hands to the shape you want.

Louise
Kingfisher Designs -
http://www.wireweavers.com

8

Hi Karen,

I’m still not sure I have a correct image of what you’re trying to
do, but I wonder if you could make a form out of something like Jett
Sett. See e.g. here:

http://www.contenti.com/products/stone-setting/510-620.html

You also might consider using plastic tubing and leaving it
permanently inside the cylinder. I keep wondering how the shape will
be maintained when the piece is worn.

Lisa Orlando
Albion, CA, US