Advanced Wire Wrapping Techniques

This tutorial teaches a few basic weaving techniques. These techniques are very important to know when you first start weaving with wire. Most weaving projects you encounter will incorporate some form of at least one of these techniques.

For this tutorial, I am using 16g wire for the frame wires and 26g wire for the weaving wire. I’m using these gauges to better show the detail in these weaves. That is why this tutorial calls for those two gauges of wire. If you would prefer, you can use different gauges for your practice work. Just keep in mind that the weaving wire gage should be 8-10 numbers higher than the gage of the frame wire.

Materials:
·  16g round practice wire (dead soft or half hard)
·  26g round practice wire (dead soft)

Tools:
·  Wire Cutters
·  Flat Nose Pliers

WEAVE # 1

Step 1

 Wrap the 26g wire onto one of the 16g wires 4-5 times to secure the wire.

Step 2

 Place the 2nd 16g wire next to the first. Bring the weaving wire underneath the 2nd wire. Then pull it up over the 2nd wire and back up underneath the first wire.

Step 3

Bring the weaving wire up over the 1st wire again, then back under the 2nd wire. Notice you will be weaving in a “figure 8” pattern.

Step 4

 Continue weaving as in the previous steps until you have about 1-2” of wire left.

 In some tutorials, you will be told to leave more than 2” of weaving wire at the end, depending on the type of project.

Secure the end of the weaving wire by wrapping it around one of the 16g wires a few times. Cut the weaving wire close to the 16g wire and press it flat with your flat nose pliers.