Picking out wire for jewelry making can be confusing. What do I use for bead stringing? What do I use for earrings? We can help! In this video, we’ll show you four common types of wire that you might find in the jewelry making section of the craft store. If you have any questions, leave us a comment below and we’ll reply!
Video How-To: Selecting Wire For Jewelry Making
Bead Stringing Wire
Bead Stringing Wire is used to make necklaces and bracelets. It is more flexible than German wire or craft wire and usually stronger than thread or fishing line. It is really closer to being a strong metal thread than the kind of wire you can bend into shapes. It comes in three sizes: 7-strand, 19-strand, and 49-strand. If you see a spool of wire and it has one of these designations, it is Bead Stringing Wire. Here’s a video we made explaining how to choose the right size for your Bead Stringing Wire.
We use Bead Stringing Wire for projects like these:
Craft Wire
Craft wire is made of base metals like tin. It is bendable and you can shape it. It will hold the shape you bend it into. It will usually have a gauge size on the package. The gauge is the thickness of the wire. The lower the number, the thicker the wire. This inexpensive wire is good for making a heart-shaped wire ornament, wrapping the center of a bow, or making salt shaker tassels. It comes in colors, too.
Beading Wire
Beading wire, including German Style Wire, is the perfect wire for wire wrapping and wire work jewelry. It also comes in gauges, so the package will say 20-gauge or 24-gauge, to indicate the thickness of the wire. This wire bends and shapes like craft wire but it is made of better materials like sterling silver, silver-plate, or gold. We use this wire a lot for projects like these:
Memory Wire
Memory Wire is wire that is permanently shaped in a coil. It is usually found in bracelet size and necklace size. The coil you see in the package is the size of the bracelet or necklace you can make.
Here are some Memory Wire projects:
If you have any questions about what to use for your jewelry making project, leave us a comment and we’ll reply. We are here to help!
Jennifer & kitty
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