Wirework w/DVD: An Illustrated Guide to the Art of Wire Wrapping

129 Pages·2010·21.19 MB·English

by  Dale Armstrong

Crafts/Jewelry
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designs to new levels!
includes
instructional
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AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO THE ART OF WIRE WRAPPING
this clear, inspirational step-by-step guide. You will learn how to wire wrap
using faceted stones, how to create pendants with any size or shape of
includes
faceted stone, how to use several methods for working with and setting
instructional
faceted stones, plus mixing wire gauges and tempers to create stable yet
DVD
creative pieces.
In the eighteen projects included, Dale showcases her classic jewelry style
and shows how to create beautiful custom bracelets, necklaces, pendants,
earrings, and rings.
You’ll get comprehensive instructions about:
+ using geometry in wire-jewelry formulations
+ making the correct right angles
+ shaping with and without mandrels
+ using found items for shaping
+ when and how to use snap-set components
+ choosing the right cabochons and gemstones
+ and more!
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from the book explored by Dale herself, off ering you a
solid base for creating exciting jewelry projects.
A
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M
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DALE “COUGAR” ARMSTRONG is a wire jewelry artist, a
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workshop teacher, and a former metalworker who has been $26.95 | 10BD16 R
published in Art Jewelry, Bead Unique, The Crafts Report, Fire O
Mountain Gems, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Step by Step N includes
Wire, and Wire Artist Jeweler. G instructional
DALE “COUGAR” ARMSTRONG
includes
instructional
DVD
wire
work
an Illustrated guIde to the art of wIre wrappIng
dale “cougar” armstrong
Interweave Press LLC
201 East Fourth Street
Loveland, Colorado 80537 USA
interweave.com
Printed in China by Asia Pacific Offset
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
DESIGNER: KARLA BAKER
PHOTOGRAPHY: JOE COCA
Armstrong, Dale. STEP PHOTOGRAPHY: DALE ARMSTRONG
Wirework : an illustrated guide to the art of wire wrapping / Dale PHOTO STYLING: PAMELA CHAVEZ
“Cougar” Armstrong ; editor, Jamie Hogsett. PRODUCTION: KATHERINE JACKSON
p. cm. VIDEO STUDIO MANAGER: GARRETT EVANS
Includes index. VIDEO PRODUCER: RACHEL LINK
ISBN 978-1-59668-290-0 (pbk. with DVD)
© 2009 Dale Armstrong
ISBN 978-1-59668-088-3 (pbk.)
Photography and illustrations
ISBN 978-1-59668-921-3 (eBook)
© 2009 Interweave Press LLC
1. Jewelry making. 2. Wire craft. I. Hogsett, Jamie, 1978- II.
Video © 2010 Interweave Press LLC
Title.
All rights reserved.
TT212.A77 2009
739.27--dc22 This digital eBook is for your private
use only. It is not authorized for any
2008054463
other use, including copying and
distributing to others.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
acknowledgments
i would like to thank several people for their help in making this book a reality:
Jane Mobley for providing the key that opened my mind to a past life. Dottie for her
encouragement. My good friend and rock buddy Scott, thanks for being my personal
“doorman” (helping to open so many), listening to me vent, and great music. Dearest
“Scrimshaw Mary,” thanks for always being there to listen and reflect things back to me so
I can better understand my own words. To my supportive husband, Charlie (my personal
lapidary), and my fabulous daughter, Skye, so much love and so many thanks for putting
up with me during this wild ride (warning: it’s not over!). Mom, thanks for showing me
which rocks to pick-up when I was a kid. Thanks also to the wonderful staff at Interweave
for their awesome patience and for working with me, especially my editors, Jamie Hog-
sett, Rebecca Campbell, and Tricia Waddell.
Most of all, I’d like to extend a huge thank-you to ALL of the students I have had the
honor of working with throughout the years. When I teach, you may think you are get-
ting the best of the situation—actually, I am! I listen to your design and technique desires,
watch how different people work, formulate projects according to your requests, and as a
result have become a better teacher. YOU are the reason for this book.

table of contents
Acknowledgments 3 chApter 4:
earrings 62
Foreword 7
Earring Basics 63
IntroductIon 9
Angel Chandelier Earrings 64
Gem Drop Earrings 68
chApter 1:
WireD WorDs 10 Sparkle Earrings 76
Wire 12
Tools and Their Techniques 14 chApter 5:
PenDants anD neCKlaCes 82
Pendant and Necklace Basics 83
chApter 2:
rings 18 Mixed-wire Cabochon Fish Pendant 84
Ring Basics 20 Orbit Prong Gemstone Pendant 88
Free-form Orbit Ring 22 Drop Necklace Base Design 99
Crystal Wave Ring 26 Gemstone/Cabochon Drop
for Attachment 104
Filigree Pearl Ring 32
Neck Collar 110
Bonus Project: Filigree Flower 114
chApter 3:
BraCelets 38
Bracelet Basics 40 InspIrAtIon gAllery 118
Chevron Bracelet Base 44 resources 126
Ornate Cabochon Index 127
Bracelet Topping 48
Beads All Around Clasp Bangle 54

foreword
It is the need to be creative, and to contin- a following of students who respect her
ually expand on that creativity, that makes work, her advice, and her support in their
us seek out those individuals who possess own endeavors. She is a living example of
the skills and knowledge we admire and a work still in progress because she strives
want to imitate. to excel at what she does and take it a step
It is the teacher who enables us to see further. This in turn keeps all her students
that while imitating is a learning process, striving to capture that essence as well. No
it is not as gratifying as tapping into our matter how hard we work, it seems we are
own inner creativity. It is the teacher who always a good ten steps or more behind
encourages us to expand on that acquired Dale and her next idea.
knowledge to find ourselves evolving be- This book is not a beginner’s book, nor
yond what we originally thought we were an advanced one. It is an accumulation of
capable of doing. techniques and patterns for those individu-
Such a teacher is Dale “Cougar” Arm- als who need a bridge to the next step in
strong. Her philosophy is simple: Be cre- the evolution of wire artistry. It has been
ative! Take what you learn and turn it into written for those looking for more tech-
your own style by thinking outside the box. niques, the answers to questions they have
Don’t let the words “that can’t be done” pondered at their own work benches, as
stop you from trying, from continually ex- well as a good dose of “what if” and “why
perimenting and most of all, from learning. not” in designing.
One’s individuality comes from not being If you are expecting a “hold your hand”
afraid to continually strive for excellence attitude, then you will be greatly disappoint-
and exploring all the possibilities of one’s ed. This book assumes you are beyond that,
craft to its fullest. know your materials, know your tools, and
Life molds all of us. Being able to take are ready to go. So, enjoy this to the fullest.
experiences, lessons, and knowledge, and It’s a great way to spread your wings and
blending them all together is the hard part. soar a bit higher in your creative life.
Dale has managed to do so by continu-
MARY W. BAILEY
ally learning, experimenting, mentoring,
and sharing her skills and techniques with
many. And in doing so, she has acquired

introduction
I have to tell you what a great time I had working on the designs
in this book! It was fun to be able to write the details for some of
my more elaborate pieces, knowing that somewhere, someone
was—hopefully—going to be able to recreate the piece from the
directions and then go off into their own world and make some-
thing fabulous as a result of now knowing how to bring their
imagination to reality. This was one of my main reasons for writ-
ing this book.
I don’t expect everyone to be interested in every design
presented, but I do hope that some of the techniques shown will
enable you to solve a mystery or two. I consider myself a tech-
nique instructor; to show how to utilize the skills taught, a finished
product is necessary. Many of these designs have adjustable for-
mulations so you can experiment with great results!
As a designer, I strive to formulate patterns that have a lot of
versatility. As an instructor, one of my favorite rewards is watching
my students take these opportunities and run with them, creat-
ing and combining variations that become their own designs.
Throughout the book, you’ll see images of jewelry created by my
students after they learned the techniques and projects in this
book. Some of the featured students have been working with
“Cougarisms” for as many as nine years and some for just a few
months. You can now see how my students inspire me!
A designer piece is just a beautiful combination of well-
executed techniques and components. So grab your tools and
wire, dig out some of the stones you’ve been saving until you
knew what to do with them, and have a wonderfully creative day!
DALE “COUGAR” ARMSTRONG