Wirework is a centuries-old craft, but there are plenty of ways to give it a new “twist.” Using basic tools, you can shape wire into letter-shaped paper clips (imagine calligraphy that has sprung to life), a “peacock” photo holder and other beautiful objects for organizing your home.
Try all the following ideas, or let them inspire your own.
Tools and materials
* Look for annealed steel wire at crafts or hardware stores. Wire is measured by gauge (thickness). The higher the gauge number, the thinner the wire. You can let it oxidize to produce an antiqued appearance, or apply a lacquer to preserve its dark color.
* Use flat-nose pliers to crimp wire (or pull wire through the pliers’ jaws to straighten it).
* Round-nose pliers, which taper toward the tips of their jaws, make it easy to bend or refine curves, or to start coils.
* Use needlenose pliers to form right angles or tight bends, or to twist the wire when securing one piece to another.
* Wire cutters, which have hardened tempered-steel jaws, let you snip wire effortlessly. Smaller ones are more comfortable to work with.
Alphabet paper clips
Use these clips to stylishly secure papers or add a personal touch to a note to a friend. Make an alphabet’s worth, or perfect your technique with just your initials.
Using 20-gauge wire, your fingers and round-nose and flat-nose pliers, shape clips into the letters of the alphabet. Aim to make them about 1 1/2 inches tall.
All but the letters K and X are made with a single length of wire. Start with a 6-inch piece; then, when you’re satisfied with the shape, snip any excess. You can also fashion musical notes, leaves, hearts or other designs.
Looped organizers
Twisted lengths of 16-gauge wire – with coils for grasping mail, recipe cards and other papers – can bring order to any space. Try hanging them inside kitchen-cabinet doors.
The wire you start with should be twice as long as the organizer you want to make. Always begin coiling 2 to 3 inches from one end of your length of wire. The basic technique follows, but you can vary it by forming different-size coils and leaving more space between them.
Gently but firmly wrap the wire around a dowel with one hand, holding the coils in place with the other. Slip the coils off the dowel, and flatten them, spreading them evenly with your fingers.
When you’ve finished, use round-nose pliers at each end to create a small loop for hanging.
To make an organizer with large, spaced, double coils, use a 1 1/2-inch-diameter mop handle, and loop wire around twice to form a double coil. Remove that coil from the handle, move down the wire 2 inches, and create another double loop. Repeat, evenly spacing the coils and removing each one after you form it.
For smaller double coils, use the same technique with a 3/4-inch dowel. Leave about 1 inch between coils.
Twine dispenser
Use this protective wire ball to keep twine from getting tangled in a junk drawer.
Cut two 24-inch lengths of 18-gauge wire. Use round-nose pliers to create a loop at one end.
Form concentric circles to make a flat spiral 4 inches in diameter. Repeat with the second length of wire, making another spiral. Press the spirals’ centers outward, creating half-spheres. Hinge the halves by joining their open ends, and then wrap the ends with 28-gauge wire.
Place a ball of twine inside the sphere. Close the dispenser using a 7-inch length of wire twisted into a figure eight; at the top of the figure eight, form a smaller loop for hanging.
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