Wire Wrapping A Glass Bead With a Flat Top

When creating the first wire wraps, establish the size of the loops on the wire wraps by comparing your bead. The size of the loop should be slightly bigger that the hole of the bead.

First bend the wire 1/4 from the tip in of the wire end. The standard of shaping the loop will always fall on how the size of the loop is going to be, generally the loop size should be based on the placement of the wire on the prong of the round nose pliers.

Put the position of the prongs of the round nose pliers parallel to your work table. The deeper in the placement of the prong of the nose pliers, the bigger the loop shape will be.

Create a pulling down movement on one side of the wire from the pivot point.

Remember to move just the pliers with a gentle grip, too much pressure would mar the wire as well as create a weak point.

Gently hold on to the top of the loop with a long nose pliers and create an "L-Shape", it is important that the shape of the loop is retained on a wire wrap concerning glass beads. Do not create other movement other than moving the short end of the wire across top of the long wire.

Wire wrap 1/4 up to the height of the glass bead, remember that the top of this glass bead is a flat top, wire wrapping a high wire wrap would create bending points on the wire making the glass beads to chip and break.

Once the number of wire wraps is established, based on the 1/4 height of the glass bead, cut the excess wire.

Press on the excess wire after cutting.

After the first loop and wire wrap are created, insert the glass bead. It is important to check if the wire wraps and the size of the loop are balanced to the bead.

Wrap the remaining wire around the round nose plier, make sure it is the same size as the established loop size.

Using a set of pliers hold on to the loop and wrap the remainder of the wire around the wire that the wire was beaded through. While wrapping be sensitive to the pressure of your wire wraps.

Using a set of pliers hold on to the loop and wrap the remainder of the wire around the wire that the wire was beaded through. While wrapping be sensitive to the pressure of your wire wraps.

After wire wrapping the amount you need, cut the excess wire. When doing so, make sure that you cut just closely to the edge of the beading hole. This would give the beads and wires enough movement to prevent from breaking.

After cutting the excess wire, use the curved nose pliers to press on the end wire that is on top of the glass wire. The curved nose pliers provides the correct angle when applying the pressure to the wire end as it is tucked into the other wire wraps. Press on the wire end gently and in successions until the end is tucked in to prevent the glass from chipping.

With these instructions you will be able to use these steps as guide to wrap small glass beads without breaking. Show us some of your work and the glass beads you have been working with.

Wrapping glass beads with wire is often a challenging skill, done properly would lead to a faster work flow and get to know the characteristics of materials you work with.