Great Wire Jewelry: Projects & Techniques (Jewelry Crafts) [Hardcover]

Irene From Petersen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 31, 1999 | Series: Jewelry Crafts

Based on traditional techniques invented by the Vikings, these 70 projects require only a spool of wire and a few simple tools. The book shows how to make earrings, bracelets, chokers, and pins using colour photographs and step-by-step illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

These two guides cover specialized techniques not often found in jewelry craft books. Wood is not usually thought of as a jewelry material, but carved and polished wood makes striking necklaces and earrings. Lydgate (The Art of Making Small Wood Boxes, Sterling, 1997) has collected projects from 24 woodworkers. Many involve laminates or marquetry, and all have step-by-step instructions with diagrams and color photographs. Danish crafter Peterson's jewelry is of two types: jewelry that is knitted, twisted, and braided in techniques similar to macrame and jewelry made from rings similar to chain-mail armor. The projects are inspired by pieces found in Viking hoards and have a strong medieval appearance. Both books are suitable for general crafts collections.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“A classic in the jewelry book world, covering mainly chain maille patterns and Viking knitting. (This) is a little book that has become very popular over the years with wire jewelry artists. This is not a coffee table style or inspiration type book. It is clearly a how-to book that is extremely practical. Those who are serious about wire jewelry, especially designers who want to master wire weaving and chain maille, will see why this book has been around for so long.” – About.com: Jewelry Making

 

“Merging the artful elegance of an ancient craft with a clear how-to format, this book is useful and inspiring to wireworkers at all levels of experience.” – Beadwork

 

“Irene’s book Great Wire Jewelry is a grand thing in a small package. Iit is packed with different techniques and more than 70 projects. There is knitted, twisted, and braided wire to start, followed by jewelry made from rings. Irene even walks you through the process of making your own rings, which will build your skill level and save you money. The difficulty of each project is shown so you know where to start with your current skills and how to push yourself to new levels. If you’ve ever wanted to try Viking knit or chain mail, this book is a valuable resource! I found the color-coded diagrams very helpful in figuring out the steps. Irene also gives you a summary of which kinds of wire will work for various projects, how to clean your new jewelry pieces, and how to oxidize your pieces. I learned that using wooden and leather tools, much like the Vikings used, will keep your pieces from becoming brittle as quickly as they would using metal tools.” – Craft Gossip

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Sterling (December 31, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579900933
• ISBN-13: 978-1579900939
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #300,675 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

88 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear, interesting, fun, January 30, 2001

By 

QuinnCreative "-Q" (Glendale, AZ, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Great Wire Jewelry: Projects & Techniques (Jewelry Crafts) (Hardcover)

This how-to book has all the right basics: a list of tools and materials, a description of skills you'll need, and a key to how difficult the projects are. There is enough detail on the kind of wire to use (and avoid) to help the reader avoid expensive mistakes. There are even instructions so the beginner can make, rather than purchase, some of the knitting and drawing equipment.

The book is small and focused. If you want an overview of all types of wire jewelry, this is not the right book. If you are an advanced solderer looking for more projects, this solder-free book is not for you, either.

Great Wire Jewelry is a great book for beginners with some patience, who want to learn, through practice, to become advanced wire workers who make their own necklace- and bracelet-quality chains. Much of the book is a type of knitted or woven jewelry. There is also a smaller section on chain mail and connecting jump rings to create necklaces.

There are clear and easy-to-understand instructions on how to make each type of chain. The pictures are simple and the color coding of existing and just-added pieces are easy to grasp. There are tips along the way to help.

The book has some added extras, too. Color photographs of completed projects are keyed with the name and page number for instructions. Instructions are reverse-keyed so you can find the picture first.

For a small book of focused projects, it's easily worth the money.

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars VERY, very basic, BUT very well suited for it's purpose., January 17, 2003

By 

"beading_beyond_the_basics" (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Great Wire Jewelry: Projects & Techniques (Jewelry Crafts) (Hardcover)

1) ATTENTION BEADERS! For those of you that are looking for new findings - this book is great! Especially since you probably have the experience with working with jump rings, headpins, eyepins, wire, and probably also have the tools neccessary to do the job.

2) ATTENTION BEGINNERS! If you are looking for a simple gift that looks fantastic - one that you can say you made yourself - this book is stellar. I would highly recommend skipping the knitting, making your own jump rings, using mandrels & using saws, though. If I were you, I would turn right to the section where the author demonstrates designs using jump rings, then go down to your favorite jewelry/craft supply and go BUY the jump rings you want to use. Assemble a project and then decide if you want to do another with more costly metals and supplies. You don't need an elaborate setup to create AWESOME jewelry. Once your comfortable with wire, and are ready for the next step, go back to the front where you can find the knitting & braiding instruction.

3) ATTENTION ADVANCED! This is probably not the book for you. Most of the content of this book can be found in different parts of all other jewelry making books, especially those books used for instruction. This book is definitely a BEGINNER'S book, and you will probably get little or no useful information from it. To put it this way, the author suggests some projects are even suitable for children.

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous jewelry on my 1st try!, June 11, 2002

By 

[e-mail] (Oakland, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Great Wire Jewelry: Projects & Techniques (Jewelry Crafts) (Hardcover)

I just got this book, along with two others about a week ago. I never thought I could make professional looking jewelry, but with this book I did! I loved the easy chains I started out with, but then I ventured into the braided and knitted wire designs. I made the sinnet tie guard and it is so gorgeous! Took me about an hour, and this will be a terrific jewelry gift for men!

In the book, she describes making tools in order to saw wire to get the jump rings which make up many of the chains here. I just used mandrels that we had bought in a craft store (Wild Wire kit) to make the wire coil and clipped thru each ring with my wire cutters. Maybe the result would be a little nicer with the saw, but let's face it -- we are not all comfortable with such tools. Also, if you don't have a piece of leather (required for several of the projects in here) I just used a piece of denim I cut out of an old pair of jeans I have around for sewing projects. It worked great.

If you are a knitter or know a knitter, you will not have to invest in the different sized "mandrels". I also used my Wild Wire kit mandrels and my glass bead mandrels (I make lampworked glass beads).

For making clasps, earring hooks and a bunch of really great tips for the beginner working with wire, I also recommend All Wired Up by Mark Lareau. Strictly a beginner book, I was looking for cool findings that I could make myself and this book has great suggestions.