Necklace Wire Wrap Tutorial
This beautiful wire wrapped freshwater pearl necklace was created to go with my dress for my sister’s wedding and is so beautiful – but it’s impossible to repeat exactly! I aimed to show you my general process for this necklace wire wrap so that you can give it a go yourself. Check out the full list of things to make with beads and wire. Disclosure: this post contains commissioned links.
When I first got my dress for my sister’s wedding, it was a bit less dressy than I had originally planned for. I loved it, it was inexpensive, it looked good, so I went for it anyway.
My craft-minded solution? Make a gorgeous necklace wire wrap as well as other elegant jewelry to dress it up.
I went back to a jewelry making style that I used to do all the time, but stopped once my jewelry-making veered toward blogging. The reason for this is simple: it’s hard to share this necklace wire wrap tutorial because there isn’t an exact step by step. It’s abstract and each one comes out totally unique.
The trick to making an abstract necklace wire wrap like this come out beautiful is to strike a balance, and avoid too much messiness. You’re also avoiding perfection so, I repeat, the key word is balance. To find the right balance, you need a good eye.
While most of my jewelry making projects are geared toward anyone – my motto is “anyone can craft” – I won’t lie and say that anyone can make this necklace come out great.
If you like to make stuff but need to be told how to make it come out good, this tutorial may not be for you (you’d be better off trying this wire wrapped pendant). If you have a good eye but want to know how I did this particular piece, read on!
To create this necklace wire wrap, I first decided on a color scheme – in this case, shades of silvery-pewter and burgundy-reds. I dug into my “big bag of pearls” and chose the ones I felt best suited to this project including plenty of extras.
I then created two layers of wire wrap. In the first, I created the structure of the necklace wire wrap using the larger beads. Since they were small-drilled pearls, I used a 24 gauge wire – strong enough to handle a heavy piece, but thin enough to fit most of the pearls I tried.
In the second, I polished up the piece, solidified it, and added accents in the form of 3mm metal rounds and 4mm Swarovski crystal bicones. I used 20 gauge wire for that to really strengthen it and hold all the pearls in place too. The bicones and spacer beads have larger holes that can fit a 20 gauge wire (you may crack a couple of crystals).
Please excuse the awkward angle here, but you can see how it sits on my chest. Part of the trick to getting your necklace wire wrap right is slowly building it into the right shape and letting it sit comfortably.
I knotted my chains on the sides and then regretted it – I left that out of the instructions. I doubled the chain mainly because I didn’t want to have to attach it before I wrapped – I imagine having the chain dangling while dealing with long wires would be a tangled-up nightmare. If you’re using a chain with links that open, you don’t need to double.
Tip: scroll down to the end of this post for a “recipe card” printable version of this necklace wire wrap tutorial.
Want to learn how to make jewelry out of anything? Get the book! 
What you need to make this necklace wire wrap:
Beads:
- Assorted pearls in the colors and shapes of your choice. A good mix can be tough to spot – the one I used doesn’t exist anymore. Here are some favorites on Etsy: Pink Buffalo Beads (pearl assortments by color in different shades, shapes, and sizes), SR Supplies (pretty assortments that don’t just have pearls), Simpson Studies (less shape/size variety, more color variety)
- 3mm round spacer beads
- 4mm Swarovski bicones in a coordinating color
Findings:
- 20 gauge wire – approximately two feet
- 24 gauge wire – approximately 3 feet
- 1 foot extra 24 gauge wire
- About 3 feet of pretty chain (half that if the links can open and you’re not going to double the chain)
- A clasp
Tools:
If you’re new to jewelry making, check out my list of jewelry making supplies for beginners, and my guide to different beads for beginners.
You can also find my favorite places to buy beads online.
Necklace wire wrap step-by-step tutorial:
1. Choose the beads you plan to use. Choose extras in different sizes, colors, and shapes because you’ll realize what you really need as you go along and see how your necklace wire wrap is developing.
2. Use your round nose pliers to make a wrapped loop at the end of your 24 gauge wire. First, roll your wire over about 1.5 inches from the end, crossing the two sides over each other (as pictured.)
3. Wrap the tail a few times over the long wire and trim. Don’t worry if it’s not very neat – you’ll be covering this in your final wrap.
4. Start by stringing a few assorted beads.
Wrap them in place and add more. As you go along, choose your beads and wrapping position according to what your eye tells you. Work to strike a balance, and remember that while it’s random, the wrapping is still visible so you want it to look nice. Not intentional – just balanced, pretty, artsy.
On that note, when I felt that a bead was too “floppy” I joined it with another using a trio of wraps. Things like this lend some balance and “clean up” the necklace wire wrap a bit.
Keep on adding and wrapping, making sure that your necklace is solid. If you run out of wire, simply wrap it a few times around a hidden spot and start a new wire. Keep in mind that you’ll do an overlapping wire wrap afterward so you don’t need it to be perfect – you can fix some “problem areas” in the next round.
You can also add trios of identical beads to help with the balance of the piece.
5. When you are satisfied, form another wrapped loop so that you have an oddly shaped “bar” with two loops opposite each other. Again, it doesn’t need to be so neat.
6. Take your 20 gauge wire and wrap it a few times around one of your loops. You’ll now be polishing up your act, so make sure to make this one pretty.
7. Start wrapping the wire randomly around your piece, adding 3-4mm metal and crystal beads as you go along. This step is really what helps you create the most balance, so do some triple wraps, add a few beads in a row, so that it has a more solid, clean look.
8. Keep wrappin’ until you reach the other loop. (Once again, you can add more wire if you need by finishing and starting in a hidden spot). Wrap it neatly around your second loop and trim. Make sure no wires are poking out, squishing them in with your chain nose pliers.
9. Measure how long your bar is vs. how long you want your necklace to be. Cut two pieces of thin, elegant chain. Each one should be long enough to complete your necklace (minus half an inch) on its own – because you’re doubling them. String each one through one of your wrapped loops.
10. Create wrapped figure 8 loops for each end. Make sure that you add the chain before you wrap your first loop. Add a clasp.
Your necklace wire wrap is complete!
Be prepared to rake in those compliments – people won’t believe you made it yourself!!
Print the project by hitting the “print” button below:
Wire Wrap Necklace
A beautiful abstract wire-wrapped necklace to make - perfect for special occasions, bridesmaids, holidyas, etc.
Materials
Beads
- Assorted pearls in the colors and shapes of your choice
- 3mm round spacer beads
- 4mm Swarovski bicones in a coordinating color
Findings
Instructions
1. Choose the beads you plan to use. Choose extras in different sizes, colors, and shapes because you'll realize what you really need as you go along and see how your necklace wire wrap is developing.
2. Use your round nose pliers to make a wrapped loop at the end of your 24 gauge wire. First, roll your wire over about 1.5 inches from the end, crossing the two sides over each other (as pictured.)
3. Wrap the tail a few times over the long wire and trim. Don't worry if it's not very neat - you'll be covering this in your final wrap.
4. Start by stringing a few assorted beads.
Wrap them in place and add more. As you go along, choose your beads and wrapping position according to what your eye tells you. Work to strike a balance, and remember that while it's random, the wrapping is still visible so you want it to look nice. Not intentional - just balanced, pretty, artsy.
On that note, when I felt that a bead was too "floppy" I joined it with another using a trio of wraps. Things like this lend some balance and "clean up" the necklace wire wrap a bit.
Keep on adding and wrapping, making sure that your necklace is solid. If you run out of wire, simply wrap it a few times around a hidden spot and start a new wire. Keep in mind that you'll do an overlapping wire wrap afterward so you don't need it to be perfect - you can fix some "problem areas" in the next round.
You can also add trios of identical beads to help with the balance of the piece.
5. When you are satisfied, form another wrapped loop so that you have an oddly shaped "bar" with two loops opposite each other. Again, it doesn't need to be so neat.
6. Take your 20 gauge wire and wrap it a few times around one of your loops. You'll now be polishing up your act, so make sure to make this one pretty.
7. Start wrapping the wire randomly around your piece, adding 3-4mm metal and crystal beads as you go along. This step is really what helps you create the most balance, so do some triple wraps, add a few beads in a row, so that it has a more solid, clean look.
8. Keep wrappin' until you reach the other loop. (Once again, you can add more wire if you need by finishing and starting in a hidden spot). Wrap it neatly around your second loop and trim. Make sure no wires are poking out, squishing them in with your chain nose pliers.
9. Measure how long your bar is vs. how long you want your necklace to be. Cut two pieces of thin, elegant chain. Each one should be long enough to complete your necklace (minus half an inch) on its own - because you're doubling them. String each one through one of your wrapped loops.
10. Create wrapped figure 8 loops for each end. Make sure that you add the chain before you wrap your first loop. Add a clasp.
Your necklace wire wrap is complete!
Notes
Cost estimate is based on material consumption, not on package purchase prices.
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