three wire link bracelet.pdf

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Three Wire Link Bracelet

by Karen Traeger Rakoski

This edition of the basic link has

substance and fullness. This is achieved

by adding two additional wrapping

wires once the frame of stems and

loops is set up.

maTeRiaLs:

340” of 24- or 26-gauge dead soft wire

18” of 24- or 26-gauge wire each for the base link

Two 12” pieces per link of 24- or 26-gauge dead

soft wire for additional wrapping

22” of 24- or 26-gauge dead soft wire for the

clasp hook

Two 12” pieces of 24- or 26-gauge dead soft wire

for additional wrapping

20-gauge 1/4” jump rings, 16

There is almost no open space in the

links, making them look very three-

dimensional and solid, almost not like

wire at all! The larger connecting

jump rings offset the visual weight by

framing the equivalent amount of open

space. There are only four layers of

wraps, so these work up quickly.

Photo of finished piece by Jim Lawson; all other

photos courtesy of the author.

To make the Link

Measure and mark the wire at the points shown

on the 3-Wire Ruler.

TooLs:

Round nose pliers

Flat nose pliers

Chain nose pliers

Wire cutter

Ruler or tape measure

Fine point marking pen

Safety eye glasses

Techniques

Wirework

page 1

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step 1

ThRee WiRe LinK BRaceLeT

step 2 Make the bends and loops as indicated. Use round nose pliers to make

loops at bc, ef, hi, kl. Make a 90° bend at d, g, and j.

step 3 Using the flat nose pliers, compress the stem wires (ab to cd, de to fg, to

gh to ij, jk to lm) so they sit tightly next to each other. Make sure that the loops

remain open.

step 4 Bend the stem pairs to be at 90° to each other. This will make a cross shape. Consider the first stem pair (where

the first wire end is) as #1, the second as #2, the third as #3, and the fourth as #4. About 12” of wire will remain as

an extension of #4. Place the piece so that the numbers run counter-clockwise (clockwise if you are left handed). Start

with #1 at the right.

step 5 Taking the long extension of wire at stem #4, cross the wire over the top

of stem #1.

Wrap a loop around (far side, behind, near side) stem #1. You will have bound

in the loose starting wire end.

step 6 Cross the wire over the top of stem #2. Wrap a loop around stem #2.

page 2

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ThRee WiRe LinK BRaceLeT

step 7 Cross the wire over the top of stem #3. Wrap a loop around stem #3.

Cross the wire over the top of stem #4. Wrap a loop around stem #4.

step 8 Add two 12” wires. Lay them side by side with the existing wrap wire.

Cross all three wires over the top of stem #1.

Wrap a loop around (far side, behind, near side) stem #1. You will have

bound in the new loose starting wire ends.

step 9 Repeat Steps 5-7 using all three wires, three more times, until each

stem has a total of four wraps. (The base wrap plus three rounds of the three-

wire.) At this point, you should be near the loop on the end of stem #4.

step 10 Wrap the wires around stem #4 one additional time, stopping at the

back of the link.

Clip the excess wire off. Use chain nose pliers to bend the ends in toward

the wrapping to eliminate any sharp edges.

optional: For a less “busy” center of your link, follow these

instructions...

Taking the long extension of wire at stem #4, cross the wire over the top of

stem #1. Wrap a loop around (far side, behind, near side) stem #1. You will

have bound in the loose starting wire end.

Add two, 12” wires. Lay them side by side with the existing wrap wire.

Cross all three wires over the top of stem #1 Wrap a loop around (far side,

behind, near side) stem #1. (You will have bound in the new loose starting

wire ends.)

page 3

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ThRee WiRe LinK BRaceLeT

To make the Bracelet

The clasp hook Link

step 1 Make seven links.

step 1 Measure and mark the wire noting that the stem

measurements for the hook loops are 1” longer. Follow

the directions above for making the three-wire link,

leaving these longer stems sticking out.

see ruler on page 5

step 2 Connect the links with jump rings to make a

straight band. The top right loop of the first link will

connect to the top left loop of the second link. The

bottom right loop of the first link will connect to the

bottom left loop of the second link.

step 2 With the link right side up, bend the tip of each

hook loop up gently.

Flip the link over, and using round nose pliers, bend

the stem back in a curve toward the link to make a

hook.

step 3 Add a jump ring on each of the two free loops of

the last link.

KAREN TRAEGER RAKOSKI is a bead and jewelry

designer hobbyist. She claims that a wire link just

showed up one day as the answer to lightening up

one of her glass necklaces. One idea led to the next,

and pretty soon the entire work table was full of wire

shapes. She teaches glass and bead related courses

at Studio 34 in Rochester, NY. As a member of the

Upstate New York Glass Bead and Jewelry Guild, she

has learned from others how beneficial it is when

people teach and share what they have learned or

invented. She enjoys writing about her ideas to get

them out into an even bigger classroom.

step 3 Attach the clasp hook link to the band with jump

rings. Bend the hooks from side to side, if needed, to

match up with the free jump rings on the last link, at

the other end of the bracelet.

page 4

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ThRee WiRe LinK BRaceLeT

page 5

publishers of Step by Step Wire Jewelry …join the online beading community at BeadingDaily.com

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