How-to: Wire-wrapped necklace [technique]

I rarely manage to take pictures of work in progress, but for this necklace I promised myself I will take the step-by-step pictures and post some sort of a tutorial.

Bear with me - it's my first (or second, if you count the crochet-wire necklace how-to from the past).

This is what we are trying to accomplish:

What we need?

• beads - in my case - gorgeous blue faceted agate, 10 mm diameter (10 for a 23" necklace + 1 extra for the hook)
• wire: both 20 ga and 22 ga (11 pieces 3 1/4" long of the 22 ga, 11 pieces 3 1/2 " long of the 20 ga, plus 4" 20 ga for the hook, and ~ 2" of the 22 ga for the hook)
• jump rings (21 4mm or larger, as you fancy)
• 2 chain nose pliers 
• 1 round nose pliers
• 1 flush cutter
• wire jig for the wire connectors
• hammer and pad for hardening the wire (connectors)

First we make the 10 bead connectors: take one 3 1/4" 22 ga piece of wire and with the chain nose pliers make a 90 degree bend at 3/4" from one end. With the round nose pliers, make a loop

Wrap the wire 2-3 times, and press the end in. Place the bead, and make repeat the wire wrapping at the other end: another 90 degree bend, loop, and 2-3 wraps. 

Flush-cut the wire snugly against the bead, letting the bead to move a little bit:

Finish all 10 connectors and set aside:

Place 2 small and 2 medium pegs in the wire jig and create the wire connectors. You can work with pre-cut lengths of wire, or directly from the spool (I prefer to work from the spool on the wire jig). Adjust the wire connector by hand, to make the sides equal and nice.

Make all 11 connectors, then lightly hammer them to harden the pieces.

Using the last 20 ga piece of wire - make a beaded hook: at one end of the wire make one half of the wire-wrapped bead connector, at the other end create a hook. Keep the bead in place by lightly wrapping a 22 ga piece of wire around it. Hammer the hook ends for hardening.

Using the jump rings connect each bead connector to a wire connector, alternating.

The resulting necklace is light and beautiful - and you can combine other metals: think turquoise and copper, gold / brass and pearls, the sky is the limit! I intend to add a bracelet and a pair of earrings - the earrings will be one wire connector and one bead connector.

Enjoy!