Category: Wire

So, you want to make some jewellery, or try some French beading. Well, what kind of wire do you need? Did you even realise you had a choice?

If you’re drowning in confusion right now, I’m here to help you.

Basically, you have a wide range of craft wire that may or may not meet the needs of your current project. So, how do you know what to buy? And did you know that using the wrong wire may mean your project won’t work, or may cause you unnecessary difficulties?

How do you find the right wire?

Well, if you are following a tutorial, hopefully the designer has included some helpful information.

The first thing to check is the thickness of your wire. This is measured in either ‘gauge’ (ga), or millimetres (mm). It’s important because it determines how strong your wire is and also how flexible.

For some projects, you need strength. For others, you want flexibility. So, make sure you follow any guidance over gauges.

Then, you have a lot of colour choices available.

You also have different brands. Now, I’m not a fan of specifying which brand you MUST use. I tend to find that can be quite personal. So, if I’m writing a tutorial, I might recommend what I enjoy using, but your preference may be different.

Then, the kind of wire you use for French beading would be different to the wire for wirework jewellery. We also have special wires designed for stringing jewellery…that’s different again.

So, in this section, I’m hoping to show you what is available, what it does, and where to buy it. That way, you can make informed decisions and choose the material that is right for your project.

memory wire

Memory Wire

Memory wire is a specialist stringing material designed for making jewelry. The wire is very stiff and shaped so that it holds a natural coil shape. You can buy individual lengths of the wire, suitable...

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