Great Wire Jewelry: Projects & Techniques - Softcover

"A classic in the jewelry book world, covering mainly chain maille patterns and Viking knitting. (This) is a little book that has become very popular over the years with wire jewelry artists. This is not a coffee table style or inspiration type book. It is clearly a how-to book that is extremely practical. Those who are serious about wire jewelry, especially designers who want to master wire weaving and chain maille, will see why this book has been around for so long." - About.com: Jewelry Making "Merging the artful elegance of an ancient craft with a clear how-to format, this book is useful and inspiring to wireworkers at all levels of experience." - Beadwork "Irene's book Great Wire Jewelry is a grand thing in a small package. Iit is packed with different techniques and more than 70 projects. There is knitted, twisted, and braided wire to start, followed by jewelry made from rings. Irene even walks you through the process of making your own rings, which will build your skill level and save you money. The difficulty of each project is shown so you know where to start with your current skills and how to push yourself to new levels. If you've ever wanted to try Viking knit or chain mail, this book is a valuable resource! I found the color-coded diagrams very helpful in figuring out the steps. Irene also gives you a summary of which kinds of wire will work for various projects, how to clean your new jewelry pieces, and how to oxidize your pieces. I learned that using wooden and leather tools, much like the Vikings used, will keep your pieces from becoming brittle as quickly as they would using metal tools." - Craft Gossip

Drawing inspiration from historical treasures, Irene F. Petersen shows how to braid, twist and knit silver, copper and brass wire and jump rings into bracelets, necklaces and earrings. There's no soldering, no expensive equipment to buy and the easy-to-follow diagrams will have even beginners turning out any of the 70 projects. Two of today's hottest trends, Viking knitting and chain mail, are covered in depth, as are techniques like the Queen's link, double spiral, the foxtail, Crown Sinnet braiding and more.