One of the wire wrapping techniques I never tried my hand at was bezel-wrapping stones. Don’t misunderstand- I think skilled hands can do absolutely lovely wrapped stones, but it’s a tricky thing to do well. And if I can’t do it well, well, I don’t do it!
Also, I’m scared of square wire.
Alicia Faith has those skilled hands! She shared some tips with me that elucidate just how exacting you must be to get a quality result. Look at this piece:
She writes:
This pendant was rather tricky to wrap because of the shape. I had to measure really carefully, bend the wires little by little, and check the fit every single time I tweaked the setting. This is because the odd, angled shape of the stone means the setting has to fit precisely or it will be loose.
One thing I find really useful is a quilter’s rule (a little ruler with a sliding guide at a right angle to the ruler), which I use to help me mark the bundle of wires my pendants start out as evenly.
So, she clearly takes her time and doesn’t hesitate to measure twice! Your attention to detail is evident in your work, Alicia!
See more of her designs in her Etsy shop.
