Crimp covers come in various sizes from 3mm to 5mm. 1/ Add a crimp bead to fit the desired cord/wire.

2/ Use crimp pliers to close up crimp bead in usual 2 step procedure

 (use inside jaws first,then fold crimp using front jaws to get crimp as compact as you can).

3/ Place crimp cover in front jaws of crimp pliers with the opening facing forwards.

4/ Place crimp cover over the folded crimp bead on your cord/wire and press gently with crimp pliers to close opening. 

5/ Your crimp covers should now be tidy and round with only a fine slit visible when close up (as shown on the right side of the pearl bead).

 Where to buy crimp covers online: 

UK

Crimp covers at eBay.co.uk

Palmer metals.co.uk Sterling Silver Crimp Covers

Princess Jewellery Findings UK               Sterling silver & gold filled

Silver Moon Beads.com UK                        Sterling silver & silver plated

crimp covers at CJ Beaders.co.ukGold plated, sterling silver ,silver plated, copper, fancy finish

Crimp Covers at Spellbound Beads UK    Gold plated, sterling silver & silver plated

EJR Beads.co.uk      Sterling silver & copper

thebeadstore.co.uk            Copper, G/p & s/p

Just Beads.co.uk     Sterling silver, gold filled, g/p & s/p

Spoiltrottenbeads.co.uk    Sterling silver, gold filled & S/P

The Bead Shop.co.uk          G/p, S/p, Copper plated, Black plated

Beadaddict.co.uk    Sterling silver, gold filled & copper

Beadsunlimited.co.uk         Sterling silver, s/p & g/p

Crimps Clasps – Beadsisters UK   G/p, s/p & copper

Bluestreak Beads       S/p

World of Beads                 G/p & S/p

AUS & NZ

Polymerclay.com.au Australia     Sterling silver, ant copper, ant gold, ant silver, black plated, copper plated, g/p, s/p, gold filled.

AJMS.co.nz    G/p, S/p

 USA

Crimp covers on eBay.com

Land of odds.com USA       ***All types of crimp cover

Crimp covers at TheFind.com  USA ***

Charmfactory.com USA     Sterling silver & gold filled

You’ve GOT to be Beading.com USA        G/f, Sterling silver & copper

Auntie’s Beads.com USA    Sterling silver & gold filled

Bluesage Beads.com USA  Sterling silver, gold filled & copper

Abeadstore.com USA Sterling silver & copper

Artbeads.com USA  Sterling silver, gold filled & copper

JewelrySupply.com USA    S/s, g/p, s/p, g/f, ant brass, ant copper, gunmetal

Inmcrystal.com USA          S/s, G/f, g/p

Brightlingsbeads.com USA            S/s & G/f

 Good Viking Knit Tutorial Links

Check out the list of informative links below, 24 to 26 gauge soft wire seems to be the most popular type used. 

Viking knit chain/trichinopoly history

http://www.fineartbyrocio.com/vikingknitdirections.html

http://www.janra-jewelry-designs.com/viking-knitting.html

Viking Chain Knitting

Viking Chain Knitting Page 2

Viking Chain Knitting Page 3

Viking Chain Knitting Page 4

Viking Chain Knitting Page 5

Perfect Finish – Free Projects – Beading Daily

(You’ll need to register with Beading Daily) 

 Viking Knit Chain Video’s

YouTube – Viking Knit Chain Making

http://www.diynetwork.com/cr/cda/playerex/1,1979,DIY_45263,00.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iS6Y8Uz-Uo

                                                                                                                                                                                        This weeks feature is on Beadwork: find all about beadwork weaves

and stitches from Emma Warrillow, an Australian living in England

and has been beading for many years; as well as beadwork she has

dabbled in wirework and bead stringing.

Visit her Website/blog:   http://glitterglowbeading.com/

 Gallery: http://glitterglowbeading.com/?page_id=389

Learn how to do netted beadwork, peyote stitch, brick, herringbone as well as

right and left angled weaves, (scroll down the page to ‘Learn Beadwork Links’ )  

http://www.squidoo.com/learnbeadwork

 Free Beading Tutorials          http://glitterglowbeading.com/?page_id=380

Beading Forums and Groups      

http://glitterglowbeading.com/?page_id=385

 Beading Book Authors and Their Books     

http://glitterglowbeading.com/?page_id=378

A handy list of chainmaile and wire wrapping resources from Longcanyon.com

 Includes how to make jump rings, recommended ring sizes for chainmaile weaves, aspect ratio of jump rings, and wire gauge charts.  

Longcanyon.com/Resources

Here’s a great list of video tutorials on essential jewellery making tools from Connie Fox at http://www.jatayu.com/

Connie Fox – Video Jewelry Tutorials

 For making chainmail click on the Wire Winder link  

Check out these four best chainmaile sites on the Net:

M.A.I.L. – Maille Artisans International League – Articles

CGMaille.com – Chainmaille Tutorials & Graphics

Spiderchain – Links

Chainmailbasket.com -index

Here’s an excellent 5 part email course on wirework

from Christine Gierer of Wireworksecrets.com

Wire Work Secrets 5 Part Video Email Course

An informative article from Jewelrywirewrap.com:

What’s the best wire to use for wire wrapping?

 This is a common question for most new and aspiring wire wrap artists.  However, the “best” wire to use is wire that’s appropriate for the design or project you want to create and then personal preference as you become more experienced. Most artists will experiment with different wires to create new and unusual designs and end up choosing their favorite which dominates most of their work.

There are many types of wire from Stainless Steel craft wire to Gold Filled and Solid Gold wire.  The most popular craft wire is available in a variety colors usually coated with colored or clear vinyl and is made with multiple strands for durability and flexibility and is used for beading.  There is also solid or thick single strand stainless steel spring wire used for a lot of popular bracelet and necklace designs. On occasion I use gold filled and solid gold wire for some of my work.  But my favorite, which happens to be the most popular for a variety of reasons, is sterling silver. Copper wire is the second most popular wire used for making jewelry.

Wire for Wire Wrap Jewelry, including Sterling Silver wire, is available in many shapes like oval, triangle, square, and round profiles.  Each profile lends itself well for the various styles they are used for.  Sterling wire comes in other shapes or profiles, but those listed above are the most commonly used.  Wire also comes in different thicknesses or gage and hardness levels also known as malleability.  Wire gages range from 6 gage to 28 gage with 28 being the thinnest; which is about the thickness of human hair.

Hardness levels range from Dead Soft (DS) to Soft, Half Hard (HH) to Hard.  Soft and Half Hard are used more often because it’s easiest to work with.  Dead-Soft wire does not hold its shape well when used for wide looping or elaborate designs so I stay away from it for this reason.

I use Half-Hard and Hard Sterling Silver Round wire for 99.9% of my work with the majority falling between 18 and 24 gage wires.  I simply prefer round wire and it happens to be the easiest to obtain.  Half-Hard and Hard wire is difficult to work because it is hard to bend and requires a strong hand and tools.  The wire nicks or damages easily as well because you must firmly clamp down on it to get the wire to bend correctly.  However, I still prefer HH and Hard wire because once it’s bent , it’s done, and will usually not get damaged through wear and tear.  Durable is the word I’d use. These pieces should last for generations and even become heirlooms.

- Earrings: I use 22 to 24 gage sterling wire.

- Pendants: I prefer 18 and 20 gage sterling wire.

New wire wrap artists and beading enthusiasts may want to practice with copper wire.  Not the multi-strand wire you buy for speakers or lamp cords, but electrical wire like the type used for light load household use.  These wires can be purchased at major hardware or building supply stores.  A 12 to 18 gage *ROMEX works well and is a common brand of 3-conductor (3-wire) solid copper wire that comes in various gages and is sheathed with white or black plastic.  The profile is a flat oval due to the 3 wires inside.  Simply stripe away the outer insulation as well as the insulation around the wire inside.  Each inner wire is insulated with black, white and green , and one wire may not be insulated at all.  A non insulated copper wire inside the outer sheath is the ground wire and will not need to be striped; which can save you time.

*Romex is a brand name and copyright is held by the Romex company. This is not an endorsement, merely a guide.

Sterling Silver and Copper wire can become tarnished over time; keep its luster by storing in plastics bags.  This is a nice way to keep your wire shiny or to preserve the luster for a longer period coiled up in a plastic bag.  The kind with a tight seal , or zipper style works well; just press out as much air as possible before you seal it.  Air is the culprit of oxidation, removing the air keeps you and your wire happy for a longer time!

The wire I use for Pendants spans the gamut and depends on the size and shape of stone or other material that I am wrapping.  But I mostly use 18 and 20 gage wire for pendants since I prefer a specific size, shape, and stone or bead type.

Hope this tid-bit of info helps you.

Happy Wrapping!

Raymond Ihrig

http://www.jewelrywirewrap.com/index.htm

How to wire wrap crystal points tutorial

http://www.jewelrywirewrap.com/Tips/Wire%20Wrap%20Instructions.pdf

 Check out this great tutorial from Elizabeth Scott of Esdesignsjewelry.com

ES Designs » how to make sterling silver hand-forged hoop earrings – tutorial

Here’s 2 different ways to make european pattern 4 in 1 chainmail, see which style suits you best: