Whats on My Bench

In this week's edition of Whats on My Bench with the JET Team, Judy of JemsByJBandCompany has been trying out a new jewelry-making technique. Let's find out how she got on...

I have always wanted to learn how to wire wrap beads onto earrings. So many pretty beads would look great on silver or gold hoops and they are so fashionable. I purchased the supplies I needed to get started.

Since I wasn’t sure how successful I would be in accomplishing this, I used inexpensive wire and beads. It looked like a simple process, so I set about designing my first pair of earrings. It turned out NOT to be as easy as I had expected!

First I took the wire and made a one inch loop, which I then wrapped with bronze wire to form my base. Then I strung the beads onto the gold wire, and began the task of wrapping them around the base template. This proved to be a daunting task as the beads kept slipping off the wire and the base kept bending.

I almost gave up at this point but, being the determined person that I am, I continued for the next few hours until both earrings were completed. I added a coordinating charm in the center of each hoop, to add some extra pizzazz to the earrings.

I need to perfect the process before I actually make a pair to offer for sale in my shop. The wire is hard on the hands, and the placement of the beads is very intricate. The pair below is my first attempt, so the wire is a little messy at the top.

I finally satisfied my need to try this and - although it was time consuming and turned out to be challenging - I think I will definitely give it another try down the road, after my hands and eyes have recovered!!!!

Well done Judy, and thank you for sharing your experiences! See you all next week,
Val