 These
instructions will document how to make a wrapped bead cap as
shown at right. This technique is a decorative way to
embellish a bead using wire.
Step 1: Cut a segment of 22 gauge wire about 6"
long. Straighten this wire using your nylon jaw pliers. Step 2: Bend the wire 90 degrees about 2 1/2"
from one end. Make a wrapped loop at this point, but do
not cut the excess wire. You should have about 1 3/4" of
excess wire. Make the wrapped loop with about two wraps of
wire around the stem.
You can
view our free instructions for making a wrapped loop here.
After you have completed the wrapped loop add an 8mm or larger
bead to the wire. At this point your wire and bead should
appear as shown at right.
Step 3: Using your bent chain nose pliers, grasp
the wire immediately above (or below as shown at left) the bead
and bend the wire about 90 degrees
Step 4: Using your round nose pliers, make a loop in the wire centered on the wire inside the bead. Make the loop as close to the 90 degree bend in the wire as possible so that the final loop will be centered on the wire inside the bead. At this point your wire and bead should appear as shown at right.
These instructions continue on the next page. |
Step
5: If you are connecting this bead in a chain, you can
connect this segment to the rest of the chain at this point,
before you complete the second wrap. When you are ready,
grasp the new loop with your bent chain nose pliers and wrap the
wire tail around the wire coming out of the bead. At this
point you will have a wrapped loop above and below the bead with
about 2 wraps of wire on both sides.