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Wirewrapping with Diane Boehler:

Leaf Pattern

Diane Bohler is a small businesswoman who makes jewelry and other decorative objects by wrapping glass, including beads and stained glass. One of her most popular ites is wrapping tumbled glass to make snowflakes. She can be reached at:

Designs by Di.c/o Diane Boehler
PO Box 21237
Albuquerque NM 87154-1237.

About this project.

Equipment needed:

Wire: 20 or 22, 24, and 28 gauge
Faux Sea Glass
A pencil
A pattern (or your imagination)

Step One. You may draw a pattern on paper or, as I did in this case, form the leaf by hand. Using 20 or 22 gauge wire, cut a 22 inch piece Start with a 3 inch tail. Using a pencil, bend the wire to form the top of the leaf. Come back up to the bottom and form another loop with your pencil, twist the tails together.

Step Two Using some colorful glass shards, fill in your leaf (like a puzzle). Try to use a larger piece for the middle, following with smaller to fill the whole leaf.

Step Three. Take your center piece of glass and wrap it using 24 gauge wire (about 10-12 inches for larger pieces). Start with a one inch tail, wrapping vertically and horizontally until the piece is secure. Now, do the same with the other glass shards wrapping pieces together as you go using the tails. You may have to add smaller pieces as you go along to fill in the leaf..

Step Four. Once the shards are wrapped together, cut a 20-inch piece of 24 gauge wire.

Place your shards in the formed leaf outline you made in Step One.

Working with your wire, as if it were a needle and thread, secure the pieces of glass onto the outside leaf form.

At the end, take your pencil and form a loop at the top, using the tails, to form your bail.

Finally, you can detail it up with seed beads using 28 gauge wire to make a border and leaf veins. Hang the finished leaf from some rattail or leather.

Make sure that all your wires on the back are tucked in, you want it smooth, so that it does not catch on garments..

Enjoy!

About this Project:

Tim of JewelryGradeGlass.com got in touch with me some time ago about his Faux Sea Glass. He asked if I would be interested in having a sample. I told him that I was not a jeweler, but, yes, he could send me a sample.

I found the glass so intriguing that I put a note in the Bead Jobs section looking for a wirewrapper who might want to use it for a project. To date, three people have agreed to do this; Diane is the first to complete her project. There may be a call for more later. If you are interested, let me know here.

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