Step By Step Wire – Ornamento

I’m Wired and Inspired

By: ornamento.blog March 21, 2013March 22, 2013

copper, Step By Step Wire, Step By Step Wire MagazineInterweave Press, Step By Step Wire, Wireworking tutorial4 Comments

I have a new project in the April-May Issue of Step By Step Wire Magazine! The African- inspired Spiral Frenzy is an elegant-looking necklace that rests just above the collar-bone.

It’s made from units of spiraled wire that fit into one another. Then you get to play with the butane torch and make the copper turn pretty colors!

The April-May Issue has lots of other great projects and articles. Pick up a copy in your local bookstore or buy one here.

Want to make earrings to go with the necklace? The instructions ( and loads of other great looking projects) are in Easy Wire 2012. You can order a copy here.

Amulets, Talismans, Polymer and Wire

There are two new books that will enhance the library of anyone creative. Both show you how to elevate non precious material into art imbued with special meaning.

The first one is Amulets and Talismans by Robert Dancik. I took Dancik’s class on cold connections last year and put the book on pre-order as soon as I could. I was not disappointed. The book is crammed with information on cold connections techniques, and full of ideas on how to take ordinary objects and showcase them in original, one of a kind pieces of jewelry that tell a story that could be about the wearer, maker or materials themselves.

If you are a tool junky like me, you will relish Dancik’s ideas for making custom tools. He shows a nifty little jump ring cutting gizmo you can make yourself. I made one. There are no directions, but one look at it is all you need. (If Truman Capote had met me when he first came to New York, his book would have been entitled Breakfast at Harbor Freight.)

The next gotta have it book is Ancient Modern: Polymer Clay + Wire Jewelry by Ronna Sarvas Weltman.

Weltman’s designs have an inimitable primitive sophistication that’s fresh and inspiring. Her projects and instructions will stoke your creativity and have might change the way you think about polymer clay and wire.

This time last year

Make Your Own Clasps!

It took a long time for this necklace to come together. My friend Jeanne gave me the amber after her husband died. I got the coral, turquoise and Balinese beads at an outside art show in Portland, Oregon. I bought the red disc beads-actually made in Africa from old phonograph records-at a bead show.

The beads spoke to me one day and I put together the necklace below. I couldn’t find the right clasp to save my life, so, with some basic wire skills I learned in a glass from my Beading Yoda Jeri Schatz, I made a clasp. And then I made more clasps. And then I wrote an article on how to make clasps which is in the latest edition of Step By Step Wire Jewelry.