Working with wire is totally addictive. Of course, it takes a little getting used to.  If you haven’t tried it before, read through the tips for beginners, find some cheap craft wire and experiment with some of your favorite shapes and stitches.

Tips for beginners:

You can find wire in most craft and bead stores.  Look for some cheap 26 – 30 gauge craft wire in the bead, or even floral, section of the store.   Once you get the hang of it, you can splurge on more expensive colored wires, gold, or even sterling silver.  Note that 24 gauge craft wire will be more difficult to work with than 24 gauge gold or silver wire.

The higher the gauge number the thinner and more flexible the wire will be.

Because wire is so stiff, it doesn’t show textures and patterns very well.  Keep to basic, simple stitches like single and double crochet.
 
Before making your piece, try working it up in some stash yarn or thread so you can avoid the possibility of a mistake.

If you do make a mistake, you can “rip” back a few stitches if you work slowly and carefully. If you need to rip back more than a few stitches, it’s best to start over.

Don’t use your favorite hooks. Use only steel or aluminum hooks. The wire will cut into bamboo and plastic hooks and will scratch the paint on colored metal hooks.

Working with wire isn’t exactly like working with yarn. You want to bend or “work” the wire as little as possible. Because the tension is already built into the wire, you don’t need to hold it the same way you would hold yarn. Don’t thread the wire through your fingers, either leave the working end free, using only your thumb and finger to control the wire, or loop it over just the index finger.

Don’t worry about imperfect loops and stitches as you go. You can stretch and shape the loops when it’s all done.

Earrings:

• 24-26 gauge wire
• 16 (6-8mm) round beads
• G/6 (4.25mm) metal crochet hook
• Needle nose pliers (helpful but optional)
• Wire cutter or scissors
• 2 head pins
• 2 earring hooks

Necklace:

• 24-26 gauge wire
• 20 (6-8mm) round beads
• I/9 (5.50mm) metal crochet hook or Tunisian hook
• Wire cutter or scissors
• Needle nose pliers (helpful but optional)
• 24” of 2mm leather cord or thin ribbon (velvet would be beautiful)
• Clasp

Special Stitches:

Beaded Single Crochet (Bsc) - Insert hook into ring, wire over hook and draw up loop, draw one bead up to hook, wire over hook and draw through both loops on hook.

Beaded chain (Bch) – Draw bead up to hook, wire over hook and draw through loop on hook.