Blissful Art

Monday, August 15, 2011

Wire Braiding

One of the techniques I've been working on lately, is wire braiding.
This cuff, was my first wire braiding attempt. I made it in back in January. (Read about it here)
First project. 
Soon after I made the cuff, I decided to try a circlet. (Check it out, here) The braiding is pretty uneven, but it's not too bad for a beginner.


 A couple months later, in May,  I decided to try single strand wire braiding. I made a circlet. While I personally prefer the look of the multiple strand braiding, the single strand is still pretty. (I would like single strand braiding a lot more if I could get it even... this circlet is SO uneven!) It works well if you're low on wire, also. 

And then in June, when all three LOTR Extended Editions were re-released I, again used single strand wire braiding to make an Eowyn Circlet to go with my costume. The braiding on this circlet is way more even, but sadly the only picture I have on this computer is one I took of myself wearing it. (WARNING: I look really weird in this pic.) 
I'm actually wearing the circlet as a headband in this photo. ^_^

And then, last week, when I was at the craft store, I spotted some beautiful blue copper wire that was on sale. I fell in love with it. I bought it, along with some silver wire. I made two wire braiding projects with it. First I made a cuff.
I used three strands of wire in each section, and then braided them together. My braiding still isn't that even, but it has improved.

After I made the cuff, and was planning to make a circlet a sudden idea popped into my head. Who ever said you could only do the basic three strand braid on wire? NO ONE. So, I decided to try a fishtail braid in wire! I <3 Fishtail braids, they're everywhere in LOTR! Like, every elf has one. So that's why I chose the fishtail.


Me wearing the circlet.



Doing a fishtail braid was a lot harder then the basic three strand... My wire kept getting tangled up, and a couple times it was so tangled that I had to undo part of the braiding and start over. My braiding was waaaaaaaaaaay uneven, but I still love this circlet.

My sister said she couldn't tell how the two braids were different, she claimed that the fishtail just looked tighter. So I took a picture to show that they are different. ;)

God Bless!

2 comments:

  1. Wow, your braiding has really improved. :) I love the fishtail one, never would have thought of that. I need to learn how to fishtail......

    How do you hold your wire when you braid it? I use my dad's clamp/vice thing in the garage. I can then braid it horizontally and have plenty of room for the loose wire to go around. I find that I have to hold the strands differently when braiding with wire-- each "strand" of three wires has to be pinched so it doesn't overlap, and then I *fold* it over the others (when I braid hair, I twist it). Did that make any sense, lol?


    Yes, I am doing German, but probably for only one sememester-- if I can test into German II at the community college after CHristmas. We were going to do German I (first sememester) at the college but they were full. Email me! :D

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  2. Thank you, Shaylynn! :D

    Oooh, good idea about using a vice. My dad has one of those. Thanks for the tips! And haha, you did make sense. :D

    Looking forward to "seeing" you in German!

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I'm touched that you want to leave a thought behind! However, I do moderate my comments and anything rude or offensive shall not be published. :)