Introduction to Wire Working

Materials: design, wire, pliers, fingers, and patience (this tutorial assumes your are right handed, all you lefties switch the hands in the instructions).

1. For this tutorial we recommend a simple design with twists that can be made out of a single piece of wire. Be sure to think out how the wire will over lap and remember it is not flat but three dimensional. The example given is a pendant. Ex:
   
2. Cut a decent size piece of wire, between 6 and twelve inches. Always try and keep the smooth edge of your cut towards your work to avoid being stabbed.
   
3. First make the aye that the chain passes through by looping one end of wire around the round nose pliers. Bring the wire together to form the loop. Make certain the clasp of the chain can pass through the hole. If your hole is too small unbend the wire, straiten it (sliding your fingers or the nylon pliers tightly up the wire works well) then re-bend the loop. When working keep the bent edge behind the front of the piece so the front looks smooth.
   
4. Grasp the loop tight with the nylon nosed pliers to hold it firm in your left hand. Using the flat nosed pliers in your right hand bend the wire down at an angle equivalent to that in your design.
   
5. Hold the wire up to your design, check if the angle matches, do any adjustments to get it as close as you can.
   
6. When you come to a sharp bend use the flat nosed pliers to make the angle. Remember the wire will bend slightly above the edge of the pliers not right next to it.
   
7. For a curve in the wire, use your fingers or the round nosed pliers for a closer curve.
   
8. Follow the pattern until you return to the loop. Turn the wire back down. Do not worry if the wire does not lay flat against the top of the other wire, we will fix this later.
   
9. Bend the wire, check often to your pattern to make sure everything is even; when you reach the top again bend the wire to the back side of the piece.
   
10. Clip the wire, keeping the flat edge of the cut on the end of the wire towards the piece.
    
11. Using the nylon nosed pliers flatten the pendant by placing it inside and pushing the design together.
    
    
12. The pendant is now finished. Now that you have the basics you can move on to more complicated projects. May your skill surpass the masters of the Elvin smiths!

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