Making a Wrapped Briolette
Making a Wrapped Briolette
This is a decorative wire wrapping technique used on teardrop-shaped beads where the hole runs across the top of the bead (briolettes). It is best to use 22 gauge Artistic Wire when practising this technique, but once you have gotten to grips with it you could experiment with different thicknesses.
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Step 1:
Take a length of 22Ga wire roughly 12-inches long, and slide a teardrop bead onto the wire, positioning it around 3-inches from one end. Bring the shorter length of wire up to the top of the teardrop and with chain nose pliers bend it back on itself slightly so that it sits upright on the top of the bead. This forms the stem wire.
Step 2:
Bring the longer length of wire up to the top of the bead and across the front of the stem.
Step 3:
Wrap the long wire around the stem wire once, and then continue to wrap the wire carefully back down the bead until the holes at each side have been covered with wire.
Step 4:
When you have made enough wraps with the wire, pull it back toward you and push against the bead with chain nose pliers, so that it will sit as flush as possible with the bead when the excess is trimmed off.
Step 5:
Cut off any excess wire and pinch the end in with chain nose pliers. Push the stem wire back against the coils, bending it slightly away from you. Grip the wire with round nose pliers close to the top coil.
Step 6:
Bring the wire up and over the top of your pliers, all the way around as far as it will go.
Step 7:
Now take the pliers out of the half loop you have made and reinsert the lower jaw of the pliers. Continue to bring the wire all the way around to make a complete loop.
Step 8:
Grip the loop with chain nose pliers and wrap the excess wire back down and around until it meets the wraps at the top of the bead. Cut off any excess and pinch the end in with chain nose pliers.
Happy Beading, and don't forget to check out our other Jewellery Tutorials and Free Jewellery Making Videos.