uncommon jewelry designs, fine art photography &  adult and youth jewelry classes

San Diego, CA  Visual Artist  & Educator Denise J. Bonaimo

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• The long end of the wire should be sticking out from the same side of the pliers as your free hand, for easy access.
• The wire and the pliers should meet at a perpendicular angle (“T”).

2) Using your thumb on your free hand, press the wire firmly against the jaws of the pliers, while simultaneously turning the pliers until you have crossed the wires at a right angle and created a loop (lower case “e”).

Option: If you are attaching a chain link, wire wrapped link or any findings that have loops you cannot open, make sure you connect them by sliding them on the loop before you lash your wire wraps.

3) Remove the wire from the round nose pliers. Switch the round nose pliers into your less dominant hand and hold the wire in your other hand.

4) Use your round nose pliers to GRASP across the width of the loop (not inside) above the spot the wires cross (to anchor the wire).

5) Using chain nose pliers in your dominant hand, grasp the tip of the wire with the tip of your chain nose pliers and firmly wrap the tail (the short end) around the stem (the longer end that extends below the loop head).

• Wrap around 1 ½ times. Each successive wrap is placed further away from the loop head.

6) Straighten out the "Lazy Head". Once you turn your loop it will not be level. It will lean to one side.
To correct this:

• Use the tip of your round nose pliers. (The tips of your round nose pliers create a nice hard angle.)
• Anchor the loop head by placing one tip within the loop and the other tip at the point where the tip of the wire meets the body of the wire (on the side that you want the head to move towards.)
  
• Squeeze tight with your pliers, apply pressure with your thumb or finger to the Neck (right below the loop) and push the Stem (the long protruding part) of the wire so it moves into a position straight beneath the center of the Head.

7) Snip any excess wire off the wire wrap with your wire cutters. (Use the blunt edge towards the unit.)

8) Tuck in the tail of the wire using your chain nose pliers. Run you finger over the edge to make sure it isn’t sharp.