Weaving metal wire

Jewelry Discussion
1

can Anyone help me with finding directions for weaving, braiding, or
weaving With handlooms using copper, brass, and silver wire? I
would like to do a cuff about 2 1/2 to 3’ wide using a simple plain
weave or more Intricate. I love the bali woven jewelry, but cannot
seem to find Anything in the “how to” in using wire. I have used a
small loom for Fiber weaving (experimented only, and very little…my
instructor and i Were like the blind leading the blind :>( …not
very interesting Results). I have been directed to arline fisch’s
book. I have a Picture of a woven cuff that inspired me (john hardy
work), and i’d Just like to do one for myself.

Would be very grateful to one who can help. Thanks much!!! Bouncy
@Sadie_Jenkins

2

Hi Bouncy, My co-author, Linda Chandler, and I have a book coming out
in the fall of this year called Woven Wire Techniques. We don’t use a
loom, but we do have a secret tool. :–) If you would like to see
some of Linda’s work, her web site is www.jewelrybylinda.com

By the way, I’m the writer and Linda is the creative genius. I don’t
think I’ll ever be a creative genius, but I’m learning jewelry making
as fast as I can!

Christine

3

Christine I am interested in buying your book when it comes out but
where can I buy it ? Thanks, Molly

4

I have read this thread with great interest. Living in San Diego
County, I am well aware of Arline Fisch works and greatly enjoyed
her Museum Exhibition.

I have taken Loren Damewood’s class and enjoy a lovely bracelet I
completed while in Tucson. I understand the quirks of wire and
discussed this at great length with Loren.

Some of the comments I have read indicate a problem with keeping the
wire pliable, For those who are familiar with annealing, that is the
solution. For those who have not used a torch or kiln while working
metal, this is a technique that will assist you in your final goal.

Best way of course is to take a metals course and learn how to do
that. Were that to not be possible, there are ways to learn on your
own. Wire work hardens as it is handled, to bring it back to the
pliable state, it must be heated. Find a hand held butane torch, as
low as 9 to 10 dollars at Harbor Freight. It can also be found in
stores such as Home Depot and Lowes, or similar.

You will also need a safe material to lay the wire on while
annealing (torching) it. This can be fire bricks, or a soldering pad
available through jewelry tool sellers, Rio Grande and 46th Street
Supply come to mind.

When you have the torch and fire safe backing, find a subdued light
area as you will have to see a color change in your wire as you
torch it. Coil the wire you are suing toward the already worked
area, place a metal clamp between the worked and unworked areas to
act as a heat sink to protect the work already completed. Direct the
torch flame on the coil and move it round and around the coil
heating it evenly. now begin to concentrate the flame at one end and
watch for a color change. Depending on the material you are using,
the color will vary. Make sure you move the torch to another area,
preferably adjacent to the prior one as soon as you see the color
change. Continue this until you have completed the entire coil.

You can let the coil return to room temperature and continue your
weaving, braiding, whichever process you are using until you again
feel the wire becoming less easy to move. You then need to repeat
the above process, as often as needed until you complete the
project. At that point you will need to clean all the residue from
torching your work and shine it as needed. Depending on size, if you
know about pickle, use it. If not familiar with this, and it fits,
place your works in a tumbler with the appropriate media and tumble
polish it. This will give you incredible results.

Were none of these options be available, you can use a hand held
tool such as a Dremel or Flex Shaft with polishing compound and the
appropriate wheels. Were these not to be a choice, then it is down
to using your hands and polish it the old fashioned way, plenty of
elbow power and patience.

Depending on your metal, there a variety of compounds to use such as
lemon and salt for copper to silver polish for silver. You can
create a texture by using various scrubbers, this is a good
experiment. First and foremost, do not be afraid, second use your
imagination. Finally enjoy your handiwork. Teresa

5 
    Some of the comments I have read indicate a problem with
keeping the wire pliable, For those who are familiar with
annealing, that is the solution. For those who have not used a
torch or kiln while working metal, this is a technique that will
assist you in your final goal.

Another suggestion I would make is to use fine silver wire instead
of sterling, since it doesn’t work harden as much, which means you
can do a lot more weaving without annealing (if, of course, you are
using silver).

Thin-gauge copper wire is good to practice with as well, and comes
in a lot of colors that can be incorporated into designs. I’ve used
26-32 gauge colored copper for weaving, knitting and crocheting and
not had problems with it work hardening or breaking.

Gold and sterling silver, on the other hand, work harden pretty
quickly in my experience, so they are not ideal for weaving unless
you have a torch set up for annealing. Sterling will break if it is
bent too many times without annealing. I know that a lot of wire
jewelry makers don’t have torches, since so many styles of wire-work
can be done without soldering, so the type of metal as well as the
gauge can be an important consideration for weaving. I wouldn’t say
that any kind of metal is impossible to use, but some are definitely
easier than others.

– Leah

www.michondesign.com
@Leah2

6

place your works in a tumbler with the appropriate media and tumble
polish it. This will give you incredible results. will a tumbler get
rid of the fire scale created during the annealing process?