Varieties and use of wire for needlework
To create something with your own hands, you need to have various tools and tools at hand. Craftswomen cannot do without such an element as wire. It is presented in different forms, each of which has its own characteristics and purpose. To choose the right material, you need to familiarize yourself with its description in more detail.
Wire types
Wire is often used in handicrafts as a connecting element. Jewelry making, beading and floristry cannot do without this tool. The main indicators that you should pay attention to when buying are the type of material, stiffness, coating and thickness.
Millimeters and gauges are used to describe thickness. Often the thinnest wire is used for winding and beading; when it comes to making jewelry and bijouterie, then a thicker material is required.
The wire can be stiff, semi-rigid and soft, and the stronger it is, the more difficult it is to work with it, since it bends less. But, it is due to the increased rigidity that the shape will hold best. This indicator is influenced by the material from which the wire is made.
Steel, copper and aluminum can be used as raw materials. Steel wire is difficult to work with, but aluminum is more suitable for this. The jewelry contains a mixture of precious metals.
Everyone is familiar with the coating, since often the wire has a plastic colored sheath, however, there are enameled, galvanized and galvanized types.
Chenille
Often used for plumbing work to clean pipes.However, the chenille tool is also used in needlework. This wire has a soft and fluffy shell, it is easy to work with it, so you can create various crafts with children from it. It keeps its shape and is available in different colors. This is a decorative wire, as it can be used to decorate various products.
Copper
In its appearance, this wire resembles a cord or thread. It is made with a round cross-section, but rectangular ones can also be found on the market. This type of wire is often used as an energy conductor. Copper reduces costs, it is flexible, and it turns into a thin thread. The main advantages of this tool include high electrical conductivity, ductility, and fracture toughness.
The material lends itself well to soldering and cutting, so you can make anything from it. Of course, one cannot fail to note the environmental friendliness of copper, so the wire from it is safe. It can also be used in needlework by stringing beads and beads on a thread.
Aluminum
This type of non-ferrous metal is presented in the form of a metal thread. The composition contains not only pure aluminum, but also alloys. These products are often used in the production of metal products, but are also suitable for craftswomen-needlewomen. The wire has high strength, while being lightweight. Strength with a minimum weight is high, such a material lends itself to melting, it has high thermal conductivity, affordable cost and corrosion resistance, which is no less important.
French or "gimp"
A soft stretching wire with a cylindrical shape is also called a gimp. It allows you to create volume, bulge and give products a shine. It is often sewn along with another thread. French wire can be faceted, matte, twisted and smooth. It is worth noting that this type is distinguished by its delicacy, therefore, it is necessary to work with such material carefully so as not to leave scratches on it. It is necessary to deform the product only in case of extreme need.
The stretched gimp will look perfect in vine-shaped decorations.
You can cut small pieces from it, and then randomly sew them to clothes or a bag, which will shine beautifully.
Also, the wire allows you to create original textures, so it is often used in embroidery.
"Bouillon"
It is a floristic wire with strength and flexibility. Professional florists constantly use it to fix flowers in a composition. It is worth noting that the material is offered in different types. Gerber wire is used exclusively for the flowers for which it is named. It is available in different colors and its strength allows the elements to be fixed in the composition.
The broth has a colored coating, it twists into a spring, therefore, when unfolded, the thread is wavy. This is a frame floristic wire that can be stretched up to 100 m. The base is made of durable metal; such material is used regularly in the decor.
"Bezel"
Brass wire is used for modeling or braiding. This material option is great for edging stones of non-standard sizes or shapes. Artistic thread is especially often used when working with large crystals. Needlewomen call the bezel a ribbon frame.
How to choose?
Wire plays an important role in needlework, it should be in the arsenal in several forms. To choose the right raw material, you need to decide what exactly you are going to do... It will be useful to come up with an image of the product, that is, to indicate its shape and size. It is also important to consider the materials that will be used during operation and their load on the wire. The indicator of thickness, strength and flexibility should meet personal requirements and fit other consumables.
When it comes to making jewelry, it is best to choose nylon-coated steel wire as it is strong and suitable for forming a base.
For bracelets and loops, wire is suitable that will not deform. You will need to draw up your own scheme for which products which tools are best suited. You can take several types of wire to test their properties in practice, since each master selects the material for personal requirements and standards.
What can be done?
Due to characteristics such as strength, flexibility and resistance to corrosion, different types of wire can be used for handicrafts in any direction, be it beading, jewelry making, accessories decoration, clothing decor, flower arrangements. The wire will help fix the elements of the product, connect them to each other, give shape and even volume.
This tool is irreplaceable for creativity. The wire can connect the parts of the craft or fix them during the sculpting. Flowers and compositions can be created from a wide variety of materials, for example, when using cold porcelain, wire is often used. It is also worth noting that it is great for working with polymer clay.
There are various techniques that require such a consumable, however, it can be the main one for the manufacture of interesting products: figurines, sculptures, puzzles... The wire can replace other connecting elements.
It is convenient to use it, and even a child can handle it, because it is easy to shape.
Examples of crafts
You can make beauty with your own hands with minimal investment. For example, New Year's crafts are easy to create with children, who will get a lot of pleasure, both from the process and from the result itself. To do this, you need chenille wire, which is sold at any craft store. You will need about twenty of these fluffy sticks, beads as decorations, scissors, and a glue gun.
The wire must be cut into threads of different lengths and snowflakes formed from them, connecting the elements with each other. Here you can show your imagination and make Christmas tree decorations of different shapes and sizes. You can glue beads on snowflakes to make them more colorful and elegant. Then an ordinary thread is tied to the center of the products, after which you can hang them on the tree.
You can make various decorations from wire, having a standard set of tools and consumables with you. Over time, it will get better and more varied.
For the types of wire for needlework, see the following video.