Twisted wire can make for great DIY projects as they are extremely versatile. These days jewelry has gone up significantly in price and is easily done on your own. Making your own wire jewelry can also help you customize the bracelet to your liking. Follow these easy steps to make your own copper wire bracelets and rock your own unique pieces that features your creativity. They are not only a great art form that lets you unleash your creativity but, also make for beautiful handmade jewelry for yourself or as gifts. Bending and twisting wire may seem a bit difficult but, twisted copper wire bracelets actually only require a few tools and can be done easily after some practice.
Materials You Will Need
To get started making your jewelry with wire, it’s a good idea to gather all the necessary tools and materials that you will need. Making sure you have all your tools helps to prevent you from starting a project just to find out that you do not have all the necessary tools. Some of the tools and materials you will need to bring your wire jewelry ideas to life include the following:
1. Pieces of wire– We recommend an 18-gauge wire that makes for an average copper wire bracelet. For those that prefer a chunkier look or ones to make cuff bracelets, you may want to choose a thicker wire. You can also choose different materials, colors, and types including silver wire, soft wire, plated wire, flat wire, square wire, flat memory wire, fancy wire, or precious metal wire too.
2. Bench Block– The steel bench block helps to shape the metal wire and helps to perfect the surface of the metal wire.
3. Smooth hammer– As the name suggests, the hammer helps to mold the metal to your personal preference. Unlike a regular hammer, the face of a smooth hammer keeps a smooth surface.
4. Wire cutters- Heavy-duty wire cutters help to trim and cut your pieces of wire to the desired length. You may be able to do these with scissors but, it may damage your scissors. Wire cutters get the job done much easier.
5. Pliers– Pliers help to mold the flat wire to the desired shape. Especially for twisted wire bracelets, the pliers make it much easier to shape the wire to the form that you want.
6. Polishing cloth– This helps to spend less time polishing and more time creating. It creates a smoother finish that gets all sides and areas of the wire.
7. Tape Measure– While you may also use a ruler, the tape measure is able to measure round items more easily. For intricate pieces, you may want to get the size in millimeters for a more exact length. While these pieces are handmade, there is no reason for your jewelry to look amateur or uneven.
8. File– A metal file helps to smooth the edges of the wire. If not done properly, the sharp strands of wire could easily cut you and become dangerous.
Reasons Why You Should Make a Copper Wire Bracelet
While there are many reasons to make twisted copper wire bracelets, we list out some of the main ones to help you decide if this project is suitable for you. It can seem intimidating as the wire can be sharp and difficult to maneuver. However, there’s are many reasons why you should make your own metal twist bracelets.
1. Functionality– Copper bracelets’ material makes for a durable jewelry piece that is not flimsy or cheap feeling. Not only are they stylish and customizable with copper beads and other accessories, but a simple wire bracelet is also a practical piece of jewelry that comes at an affordable price. While some homemade items may not serve to be functional. The simplicity of the wire assembly makes for a functional accessory.
2. Great DIY project– Creating your own jewelry does not only serve as functional accessories to your outfit but also serves as a fun project to work on. For those that want to get into arts and crafts, this is a beginner-friendly project that lets you unleash your creativity. DIY metal twist bracelets can be made on your own, or as a fun group activity.
3. Unique Styles– Since you are creating your own twisted copper wire bracelet, you can make it exactly how you like it. We have all been through those shopping moments where you think to yourself “if only that was different”. The versatile twisted copper wire bracelet can also allow you to make different styles depending on your preference such as copper cuff bracelets, necklace wire jewelry, and more. With this simple wire bracelet technique, your options for customization are endless. Since they are one of a kind, these crafts make for thoughtful and practical gifts as well.
Is it Difficult to Make a Copper Wire Bracelet?
You may be hesitant due to the hardware of the wire bracelet, however, we are here to ensure you that making a copper wire bracelet is not as hard as it seems. Just make sure to have the proper materials so you can complete the steps easily. We have provided detailed directions to make sure you are supported every step of the way.
Especially if you have previous practice in wire weaving or other arts and crafts, you may find it a bit easier to complete. No experience is needed, however, and if you are worried, you can always practice on a scrap piece of wire first.
Steps to Make a Copper Wire Bracelet
Now that we have gone through all the necessary tools and materials you will need, we have included detailed instructions on how to create your own.
1. Make your wire of choice– There are many different types of wire such as flat wire, plated wire, soft wire, square wire, and more that will give a different style to your bracelet. There are also different gauge wires that determine the thickness of your bracelet. Depending on what type of bracelet you want to make such as a bracelet cuff or simple wire bracelet, you will find a wire and material that is right for that project.
2. Measure your wire– After choosing your wire, you want to make sure to measure the circumference of your wrist or the person you are gifting to. When doing this, it is important to determine how many twists you want to do. Even if the wire is long enough when flat, the twists will shorten the length and may end up too small for your wrist.
3. Cut your wire of choice- We recommend cutting two pieces of 20 inches of your wire for a standard bracelet size. Make sure to adjust depending on your measurements. Another tip is for wires that have insulation on them. To make it easier to cut, we recommend scraping the insulation off first.
4. Fold your cut wires in half– Make sure that the wires are straight and free from any bends or twists. We also recommend that you arrange the cut wires on the handle of your soft hammer to help hold the material in place.
5. Lock your wire ends– Using your pliers, lock the ends of the wires together to give you more control while twisting.
6. Twist your wires– After locking them into place you can begin to manually twist the wires until your desired look. Tighter loops tend to shrink the wire more, so it is important to measure more material in the beginning. For thicker gauge wires that are harder to twist, you can also attach it to a hand drill for efficient twisting.
7. Cut off the anchor– Using your wire cutters, cut off the part of the wire you attached to your anchor in the beginning. Be careful during this step as the twisted wire can be sharp.
8. Flatten the twisted wire- Placing your twisted wire on the bench block, apply pressure from your hammer to help flatten the surface of the wire. We recommend starting with low pressure as the wire can thin out easily. After determining the width you like, add a bit more force in a consistent manner to ensure that the desired thickness is even and uniform.
9. Measure your wrist again– Now that the wire is twisted, measure your wrist again for a more accurate measurement. Depending on your preference you can decide how loose or tight you want to make your bracelet. If you are gifting it to someone and are unable to measure it, we recommend always going a bit bigger rather than smaller.
10. Cut the twisted wire to the desired length– Using the wire cutters, cut the wire carefully to the exact length you need. Since the edges will be sharp, make sure to use a metal file to sand down the sharp edges from the cut. We always recommend more filing than not because a sharp metal edge can easily become dangerous.
11. Shape your bracelet– After polishing the edges of the wire, you want to shape the bracelet to ensure it looks the way you want. The twisted wire will mold easily with some maneuvering. We recommend using a round metal object to use as a mold for your bracelet shape. It can be a bit difficult to simply make a rounded shape by hand, so we recommend molding it around a round object for best results.
12. Add all your accessories- these can include adding a choice of bead or adding a lock or nuts to create a clasp. Once you have your desired copper wire bracelet look, you are all done! You can now rock your one-of-a-kind twisted wire bracelet that you created. Copper wire bracelets are customizable, functional, and make for a great creative DIY project. Although it may seem a bit intimidating at first, following these steps makes copper wire bracelet making fun and simple. Check out my post about making your own seashell necklaces for other fun ideas on making your own jewelry.
