Wire crochet
I've added 3 pictures to my bead album on Picturetrail.
Pat from Canvey's Picturetrail
Basically, I was just playing around to see what the end result would be. I used a 1.5mm crochet hook and 34 gauge copper wire bought from an electrical suppliers because I couldn't find very fine wire anywhere else. As a plus, this wire is coated so doesn't tarnish and it is easy enough to string beads on the wire before starting to crochet and then incorporating them into the work as you go.
I wanted to try the crochet because I bought a book recently at a beadfair in Newmarket, UK. The book is called Crochet with Wire by Nancie M Wiseman published by Interweave Press and sells in US for $14.94. It has projects for all crochet skill levels and has a brief "How to" section.
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Bracelets
The viking knit bracelets look very cool! I also like the 'eyeball' beads ;-)
Thanks for sharing this great
Thanks for sharing this great article! That is very interesting Smile I love reading and I am always searching for informative information like this.
wirecrochet
HI
found your blog on your wire crochet bracelet, you did a great job! 34ga is not the easiest ga to work with. i have been doing wire crochet for about 10 years, and totally love it. i look forward to every new project. i have been writing workshops for Lapidary Journal and their newer issues Step by Step Beads and now Wire. in the past 10 years, 13 have been published, and i understand you can go back and get back projects.
some tips if you like, when you crochet with the wire, try the afghan stitch. you carry it on the hook, so you are limited by the size of the hook, but you get a really nice piece. it appears to be loomed, especially when you bring in beads. i usually work them in as i work each stitch off the hook.
also, you may have to reinforce the edges, when you make a wide piece you will find it will bend or roll up, not retaining the wide flat piece you made. you can get a heavy gauge and weave it on each edge. i will work several short pieces woven in too, to keep the bracelet from bending.
you can do amazing things, my roses, individual petals, is always something that gets attention. people can't imagine you can do all that with wire. i mostly work in silver, soft, and 26,28 and 30. some 32 and 34. my 34ga will be a necklace i think, with swarovski crystals.
to get an easy viking knit, try this. you may remember using a wooden thread spool, with nails hammered into one end. i use 4 nails. you can actually purchase fancy smanchy spools, i still use my wooden spool. we used to use yarn and make long cord, and after so many pot holders and dollhouse rugs, i never could figure out what to do with them. well, if you use wire, you get viking knit. you can do a double stitch, just wrap the wire around twice, the trick, bring the bottomwire over the rest of them as you go around.
i can send you more info if you want to try that, i am spoiled,and only use that way, you don't have to work in ends for starts and finishes and that's all good for me
you did a great job, if you would like to see some of my work,try Imageevent.com. and/or AOL Page
that has links to other sites as well
lots of luck
pat
wild poppy designs
viking knit
Hi I have my own blog and work with wire crochet and beads. I would like to learn viking knit and working with a spool. Please let me know if you know of a tutorial that might help.
Miriam D. Grafer
Wire Crochet with beads and semi-precious stones - Unique Handcrafted Jewelry -- http://adailydecision.blogspot.com/
Link for Viking Knit
Sorry for the delay. I've been away for 5 days helping a son move home. Have a look at the thread on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfsyTn9XCsE&feature=related
and his episode 2 which is advertised on the site. This tutorial doesn't show working with a spool but if you Google "Viking knit tutorial" more tutorials will show up. I don't use a spool as I find it more difficult to work the wire using this method, but this is only a personal preference. I like to see something being made so this tut is excellent. I learnt from a contributor on the Silicon Folly Forum so wind my wire to start on a ruler instead of a dowel shape. I now make lampwork glass beads and recently have started to make "Beaded Treasure Bracelets from the book by Robin Adkins. If you want to see a couple, click on one of the links on the "Recent Blog Posts" on the left of this page if you scroll up.
Wire crochet
You really need small fingers to work with wire and crochet. I tried working with some wire on an art project and since my fingers are too big they kept getting in the way. Plus, the wire made my hands smell like metal.
who would have thought
I really the like the onyx most of all your work. The contrast is sharp. Playing with that wire though might hurt my hands over time. I was thinking that it might look good too woven into some clothing or these swarovski jeans.
Depends on the gauge
Obviously for crochet, you would use a very thin wire. Plus wire comes in a few "softnesses". So there is a wide variety of wire that can be used. It all depends on the type of project and the degree of strength required. All the patterns I've seen specify the type of wire to be used. 34 gauge for instance is so soft and thin that anyone could work it, regardles of the size of their hands.
Crochet is a somewhat new
Crochet is a somewhat new hobby of mine, and have just recently heard of wire crochet but is something I think I would like. Should I get down regular crochet first? Does it make doing wire crochet any easier?
Jenny
Wire crochet
I've only done a little crochet in the past but wanted to try the wire as I've seen some great patterns for jewellery incorporating small beads. Once you know the basics, the wire crochet is easy if you choose the right gauge wire. Maplins, the electrical store sell some very fine copper wire that I use for all sorts of things, including a bit of crochet.
Where can I buy your work?
Mesmerized by your work in your Picturetrail gallery. It would be great if you linked from your blog posts to a place where I could buy them. I would like an original "Pan from Canvey" work on my wife's neck. :-)
Web Site
I haven't got around to setting up a website for either beads or jewellery yet, but may do so in the next few months. If you are interested in buying a particular piece, please say.
Jake's comment
Jake - I accidently deleted your comment. I've tried to reproduce it below. Apologies. If this is a real offer and not spam please let me know. I no longer have your email - Kat.
You need to use this great blog to sell. I would purchase a couple of pieces for my store but cannot work out how to buy. I mostly stock diamonds but would be interested in a few bead pieces.
http://www.diamond-rings.co.nz
Neat!
Hi Pat: Ya know, I've been involved with knitting and crocheting for more years than I care to remember and this is the first time I've ever heard of wire crochet! What a neat concept! Loved what I saw in your Picturetrail galleries. I'm going to give this a try I think. Is the 34ga wire a good thickness to start with? Thanks Pat.
- Stella
Gauge
Hi Stella
I would think the 34 gauge would be fine. Use a larger hook than you would normally use for threads. I'm no expert but would choose the size of hook you felt easiest to work with as the wire doesn't "give" like thread. The work will also look a bit more "raggedy" for want of a better word. If you Google "wire crochet" lots of sites with instructions will come up including some with free patterns.
Love beading but where can i find it online?
I really love beaded jewelry but unfortunately I don't have time to make it myself or shop the stores. Can you recommend an online site that has a large selection of beaded jewelry. I want a unique site I don't like when I see other people wth my same jewlry on and the prices need to be reasonable (inder $30 a piece) Also the pieces need to be crafted nicely so that they don't fall apart. Thanks in advance!
A good place to start
Is Etsy. You can Google it or go direct to http://www.etsy.com/category/jewelry. I'm not sure if you are wanting seed bead jewellery or something containing lampwork beads, i.e. larger handmade glass beads made with a propane and oxygen torch. These beads, because of the work involved tend to be more costly. There are of course the cheaper Chinese imports which you can make up to your own designs. Googling lampwork jewellery will bring up lots of sites run by individual lampworkers. Some also sell on Ebay. An example of an individual site owned by someone I know is Lush Lampwork at http://www.lushlampwork.co.uk/
There are literally hundreds of such sites with their owners based all over the world. Hope this helps and happy googling.