Wire Weaving With Beads: How to Add a Bead
Copyright 2009 Donna Spadafore
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Wire weaving with beads adds a little extra je ne sais quoi, n'est ce pas? Here's how to add beads to your next wire weaving project. I'd like to give a special thanks to Donna for submitting so many beautiful tutorials. You can find more of her tutorials on my website linking from the Making Wire Jewelry page
Enjoy!

Instructions
In this lesson I will teach you how to add a bead
to a woven project so that the bead lies neatly on
top of the weave.
For the illustrations I am using 16g wire for the
core wires and 26g wire for the weaving wires. I
am using these larger wires so that the detail is
easier for you to see. You can also use this
technique with smaller or larger wires.
I recommended that you review the first Basic
Weaving Techniques tutorial before continuing
with this lesson. You can get that free of
charge, from the following link:
http://www.how-to-make-jewelry.com/wire-weaving-techniques.html
Materials:
- 16g dead soft round practice wire
- 26g dead soft round practice wire
- 4mm beads
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Tools:
- Chain nose pliers
- Wire cutters
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Step 1:
You will start with 2 pieces of 16g wire that are
approximately the same length. The actual length
does not matter at this point, as this is just a
practice piece.
Secure the 26g wire onto one of the 16g wires by
wrapping it a few times. |
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Step 2:
Begin weaving around both wires in a figure 8
pattern.
You can find the instructions for this weave in the
first Basic Weaving Techniques found
here:
http://www.how-to-make-jewelry.com/wire-weaving-techniques.html |
 |
Step 3:
Once you reach the area where you want to place
a bead, stop weaving. You will need to bend the
wire at a 90º angle. To find where to make the
bend, determine the size of the bead, and cut
that number in half.
For the illustration, I am using 4mm beads. So on
this piece I made the bend approximately 2mm
above the core wire. |
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Step 4:
Slip the bead onto the wire and slide it all the
way to the bend you created in the previous step.
Then bend the free end of the wire down against
the bead. |
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Step 5:
Bring the weaving wire down and wrap it
underneath both of the weaving wires, so that it
comes back up on the other side. |
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Step 6:
Continue weaving in the same figure 8 pattern as
before. |
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Step 7:
Continue to add beads as you go along at the
desired distance apart. |
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In the example to the right, this technique was
used extensively to create unusual borders along
the entire piece.
You can space the beads close together for a
more dramatic appearance, or farther apart for a
more formal designs. Using different sizes of
beads and wire gauges also helps to create many
different looks using the same technique. |
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About the Artist: Donna Spadafore is a self taught jewelry artist who has spent years
improving her techniques and creating new, original jewelry designs. She
now teaches many of her designs to her students using on-line tutorials
available on her web-site. If you are interested in learning new and
wonderful jewelry techniques, go to http://www.gailavira.com/tutorials
Did you enjoy this article? Please give it a "like" to let us know ~Christine
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