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Was packing up all my beads last night and just realized that those Swarovski crystal beads that I have in my collection actually weighs slightly over 1kg! I must be mad....looks like the rate that I was buying beads was faster than me using them. o_O
Update: Dear Teri Baskett, if you are reading this, could you please write in to atelierworkroom@gmail.com again because I just received a confirmation from google that delivery of my mail to the email address you furnished in the order form failed permanently. I do not know how else to contact you regarding your orders. So, if you are still interested, please do write in again, ya. Thanks!
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I tried making a simple wire wrapped ring yesterday. It's my first try out actually. Before this, I was merely watching from some of the videos from YouTube or reading from some of the free tutorials online but never quite got down to actually make one. Well, I finally did, yesterday. :)
It wasn't too difficult but like any other technique that you are picking up for the first time, you do require some practise before you learn the nip and tricks around it. So, unsurprisingly, despite the appearance of simplicity, it actually took me a couple of tries before I could get it somehow right.
I said somehow because I still don't think and feel that it is exactly right....yet. But good enough for now.
To make rings. This is one tool you must have.
A ring mandrel. But if you don't have one. It's ok also, you can use this.
A marker pen. It has got a nice consistent round body for you to make a nice round ring band. Just look for a size that could fit your finger.
I've read somewhere suggesting that you can even wrap it around your finger but I wouldn't go for that because I doubted you can get a nice and smooth round band that way. Also, sizing might also be an issue because the size will get smaller as you wire wrapped the ring band. Or some people call it shank. Whatever it is called, I believe you get my point.
It is best, however, if you could get a ring mandrel. You see, a ring mandrel is more accurate when it comes to sizing.
Anyway, I did mine a bit differently from the video. In the video, they made the coil first and then slide the beads in. I, on the other hand, slide the bead in first, position them at the mid point of the wires and then wrap each wire end one time around the mandrel.
The initial tricky part for me was in keeping the wire coils in place on the mandrel. I'm right handed and my left hand is a bit weak. So basically I presses the wire in place with my left hand and uses my right hand to wrap the wires end around but because the left hand is not strong and steady enough, it tends to run as I'm working on it, affecting the size. It took me a few more tries before I could finally get a hang of it.
Talking of sizing, one thing to take note is that you start with one size bigger than the size you wanted to make. Some people suggest half a size but I'll go with the one because half is just too odd. I think that would probably depends on the sizing on the mandrel I guess.
I'm not sure if I'm right on this or not but I've noticed that the sizing for Asians are a bit different because from the videos I watched and tutorials I read from, they kept mentioning size 6 or 7 but that size on my mandrel is actually rather small. Probably only the size of my pinkie finger! But I don't think I've got thick fingers to begin with! o_O
My suspicion is that those mandrel probably have got a wider demarcation of sizes and hence the suggestion for half a size. I think half a size on my mandrel would hardly make any difference at all!
Another thing that you might want to take note is the band. Careful not to get the two wires of the band twisted while you are wrapping them together to finish off. This is what I mean.
The wires on your ring band should be parallel and next to each other like the one on the left and not overlapping each other like the one on the right. This was the part that causes me for all those tries because they just kept overlapping for me.
Well, you probably won't have as much headache as I did initially for this. Anyhow, happy twisting! :)
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