Adding wrapped sections of wire to your jewelry components can serve a number of purposes. For instance, it:
- Provides a professional-looking flourish
- Gives you a practical way to camouflage cut ends
- Offers a way to anchor beads or other embellishments
How to Add a Wrapped Loop
A wrapped loop can be created in many types of jewelry components and can serve a variety of purposes. The loop can double as an eye when paired with a hook; can be used with jump rings to link to other wire pieces; or can be used as an attachment point for embellishments.
- Using round-nose pliers, create a loop in the midpoint of a length of wire so that the ends of the wire form right angles.
- Anchor the loop by placing one of the jaws of your round-nose pliers through it. With your other hand or a pair of pliers, wrap one straight length of wire around the other, spiraling away from the loop. Each wrap should be flush with the previous loop, forming a stack.
- Snip away any extra wire, if necessary, and file the cut-end smooth. With pliers clamped around both the cut wire end and the wire around which the cut end is wrapped, compress the jaws so the cut end is flush with the main wire. This way, the cut end has a lower profile than the wrapped wire and is less likely to snag, scratch, or be visible.
- If necessary, you can adjust the shape of the loop using round-nose pliers.
Bead Wrap with Eye Loops
A bead wrap with eye loops creates a decorative finding around a bead and provides an attachment point that can be connected to jump rings or other loops. The simple wrap loop at the base of the bead can be replaced with any number of decorative loops, whether double, triple, or quadruple.
- String a bead ontothe tail of a wrapped loop. With round-nose pliers, create a new loop flush against the bead, with the wire tail perpendicular to the threaded wire.
- Wrap the tail once around the new loop. Next, bring the tail across the bead so that it lies flush against the bead and hangs down in front of the original loop.
- Wrap the tail once around the original loop.
- Trim the remaining tail and file the end smooth. With pliers clamped around both the cut wire end and the wire around which the cut-end is wrapped, compress the jaws so the cut end is flush to the main wire.
