Wire Wrapping Tutorials and Helpful Hints

My first tutorial article published in the trade magazine Step By Step Wire Jewelry did not suppress my enthusiasm of being published for the second time in this wonderful magazine.

My second tutorial article that I wrote and photographed (most photos were taken by Jules Bombardier as my hands are in the pictures holding the crocheted bracelet for demonstration) was published in the Step By Step Wire Jewelry Winter 2007 magazine. The tutorial article is on a wire crocheted bracelet that is crocheted with 26 gauge sterling silver wire and freshwater pearls.

I started crocheting at the age of 8. Grandma Rush diligently and patiently sat with me and taught me this wonderful craft. She had me start with what I had perceived as huge crochet hooks and the thickest yarn on earth - brilliant woman, she was as this was very easy for my small hands to hang onto and manipulate. Well, I was "hooked" so to speak! I continued over the years to make blankets and potholders for everyone and eventually, sadly after Grandma was gone, taught myself how to crochet with thread and make beautiful doilies (I certainly would have loved to share this with her).

I remember one time at the very beginning of my crocheting experience asking Grandma for written instructions on how to crochet a blanket. Her reply was something like this, "Honey, you don’t need instructions. Just look at what I am doing and do it!" For this, I am eternally grateful to her. From that moment on I learned how to put things together on my own and develop my own ideas, designs, and patterns.

A couple of summers ago I decided to give a try at wire crochet. I love this aspect of jewelry design and have crocheted many necklaces and bracelets (some earrings, too) and by the luck of the draw, Step By Step Wire Jewelry loved what I did, too, to which again, I am very grateful and feel very blessed to be published in such a wonderful magazine.

So one sunny afternoon (yes, even in the winter the sun still shines here in the desert), I wandered out to my mailbox and there once again was a package with my copies of the magazine inside. Of course, I had thought that the magazine was not yet due out and I was delightfully surprised to have it "so early." Guess I should ask the publisher when the next magazine is coming out to eliminate the surprise on my end!

In the next upcoming Step By Step magazine, I will have two bracelets published - one in the Wire Works Gallery (just a picture, no tutorial) and the second bracelet is a Peruvian opal wire wrapped bracelet - quite stunning. The bracelet that will be in the Wire Works Gallery will be published as a tutorial down the road so stayed tuned!

You can find more crocheted pieces of mine at Jewels By Jules. Not too many pieces are left on line but I hope to find the time after the holidays to publish more pieces!

Publications - Step By Step Wire Jewelry, Winter 2007
Wire Crochet Pearl Bracelet, page 25

Earlier this year (2006), I met a representative of Step By Step Wire Jewelry magazine . Of course, I had on a wire wrapped necklace and bracelet at the time. The rep commented on my pieces and asked me if I would be interested in publishing tutorials – um, that really seemed like a no-brainer – YES! So after submitting various jewelry pieces to the magazine for consideration, much to my complete amazement and delight, five pieces were selected for publication! To describe the happiness and excitement I felt at that moment would be overly-simplified to say that I was on top of the world! Go figure – little ole me getting published! With tears in my eyes, I jumped and yelled in glee after receiving the news of being published while my two dogs cowered in the corner (my cat took off down the hallway), with my dogs looking at me as if I had finally and officially lost it completely. And, well, yes I had.

So I got busy. I had a deadline to meet for my first tutorial – the Geometric Bracelet. First I collected my thoughts about going about writing a tutorial with step by step instructions and pictures and then dug in to get the job done. After what seemed like an eternity and picture after picture, I was finally done. Writing the instructional steps was a breeze but the pictures! But at last the task was complete and off to the magazine went the tutorial, pictures, and the completed bracelet. Now came the waiting.

And waiting. And waiting.

As I strolled out to my mailbox one September afternoon, never expecting to find my magazine to have arrived so soon in the month, I opened up my box and there it was! Dropping the rest of my mail in the dirt, I tore open the envelope (I received extra copies and they were sent bundled together), and there it was – my bracelet on the cover of a magazine. Frantically flipping through the pages to find my article, on page 49 was my Geometric Bracelet. Picking up the remainder of my mail out of the dirt, I ran up my long driveway and slammed into my house.

My mom lives 35 miles one way from me – not too far but we don’t see each other as often as we would like. Well, guess what? My Mom happened to be visiting me ON THAT DAY! What a great day it was – spending time with my Mom AND receiving my first published article to share with my Mom. It was a great moment that I will always remember.

Publications – Step By Step Wire Jewelry, Fall 2006
Geometric Bracelet, page 49