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I’ve had so many requests for the instructions for our last Church of Craft project, I decided to post a little tutorial here. I am by no means an expert, though! You can also find great info here.
But let’s get started . . . . First, you need supplies:
- One spool of 28 gauge wire, silver or another color.
- Assorted beads — about 40 for a choker, or about 20 for a bracelet.
- A metal crochet hook, size G.
- Wire cutters and needle-nose pliers.
- Findings: jumprings and a clasp of some kind.
Step One: String your beads onto the wire, leaving it attached to the spool. You can string them in random order, or plan the order out in advance. It’s a good idea to have a few of your smallest beads at the start and end of your strand, so your finished jewelry will hang nicely. Once you’ve strung all your beads, push them along down the wire toward the spool, out of your way.
Step Two: Make a slip-knot with your wire. I have a method for this that creates an easy, flexible little knot:
 
Make a loop with the end of your wire. Then, stick your thumb and forefinger into the loop. Now, bend your hand forward, so that you flip your fingers over and carry the wire with them.
 
This leaves you with a pretzelly-looking thing, like so. Bend it in half, and you have a nice slip knot, as pictured above.
Now, put your crochet hook through that slip knot, and tighten it — but fairly loosely! See how much space I’ve left here?
Step Three: Chain three. If you’re not a crocheter already, you can follow these steps to make a chain stitch:
 
Take the end of your wire that’s still attached to the spool, and wrap it over your hook. You always wrap from the back of the hook to the front.
Then, catch that wrapped bit in your hook, and pull it through the slip knot. (In future stitches, you’ll pull your hook through the loop that’s wrapped around it.)
Step Four: Now it’s time to add beads! So your beads have been sitting patiently all this time, strung on your wire and waiting for action.
 
Slide your first bead up along your wire, all the way to your hook.
Reach your hook in front of the bead, and wrap the wire over it just as you normally would for a chain stitch. Catch the wire in your hook, and pull it through.
You’ve just made a chain stitch with a bead captured in it.
Here’s another angle on that step.See how the bead sits in back of the hook?
Step Five: When you’ve crocheted in all your beads, then finish your strand with three more chain stitches. Then, you can cut the wire free of the spool, leaving about a 3″ tail of wire at both ends.
Step Six: Now you can tidy up the loops at the ends of your strand. Take the loose tail of wire and wrap it through that end loop a few times to anchor your stitching. Then, cut the loose end of the wire close to that loop. Do this at the other end of your strand, too. You can then attach your jumprings and finding.
Seriously, imagine the possibilities here! You can make several strands and then braid them loosely together. You can make long strands or short ones, and use any size of bead. You can experiement with single crochet, double crochet, or even crocheting in the round. Oooooooooooooh!
Want some more wire tutorials?
I have several! Try these:
How to crochet a wire flower pendant
How to make a button-and-wire brooch
How to make a button and wire monogram
How to make a cool button pendant
Wow that is the best tutorial I have ever seen for wire crocheting! I am so excited to try it now!
Thanks, and I really like your blog spot btw.
Wow that is the best tutorial I have ever seen for wire crocheting! I am so excited to try it now!
Thanks, and I really like your blog spot btw.
Ok…now I know how to do this. Thanks so much for the great pics and tutorial. I’m getting some supplies next week to give this a try!
Ok…now I know how to do this. Thanks so much for the great pics and tutorial. I’m getting some supplies next week to give this a try!
I was looking for wire chrochet for some time and i just found your tutorial.
I think you have the only and the BEST tutorial.
from it i made a nice bracelate and i’m hooked!!!
THANK YOU!
I was looking for wire chrochet for some time and i just found your tutorial.
I think you have the only and the BEST tutorial.
from it i made a nice bracelate and i’m hooked!!!
THANK YOU!
Did a Google Search and found you. I have been crocheting 45 years.
I’ve tried crocheting with wire and it is awesome. Your instructions are by far the best I have seen yet. Pictures always help. I live in Canada (YUKON) and need an outlet to purchase wire to crochet with. If you know of one, please let me know. Thanks again and excellent site.
Paulette Tremblay
Did a Google Search and found you. I have been crocheting 45 years.
I’ve tried crocheting with wire and it is awesome. Your instructions are by far the best I have seen yet. Pictures always help. I live in Canada (YUKON) and need an outlet to purchase wire to crochet with. If you know of one, please let me know. Thanks again and excellent site.
Paulette Tremblay
I JUST CANT BELIEVE UR IDEAS …THERE VERRY IDEL AND UNIQE I WOULD OF NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT!! THANK U SOOO MUCH AND I LOOK FOWARED TO VISITING THIS WEBSITE WAY MORE OFTEN!!
I JUST CANT BELIEVE UR IDEAS …THERE VERRY IDEL AND UNIQE I WOULD OF NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT!! THANK U SOOO MUCH AND I LOOK FOWARED TO VISITING THIS WEBSITE WAY MORE OFTEN!!
This looks like a great project I’m picking out my beads now.
This looks like a great project I’m picking out my beads now.
To respond to Paulette Tremblay, you can purchase 28 gauge Artistic Wire in all colors at artisticwire.com. It’s a non-tarnish copper based wire that works great for this. I have been making wire crocheted jewelry for 2 years and love it! It’s so much fun, and with the different colors of wire, you can get all different looks. Try the gun metal color wire with antique brass beads and green or turquoise beads. The copper is also beautiful.
To respond to Paulette Tremblay, you can purchase 28 gauge Artistic Wire in all colors at artisticwire.com. It’s a non-tarnish copper based wire that works great for this. I have been making wire crocheted jewelry for 2 years and love it! It’s so much fun, and with the different colors of wire, you can get all different looks. Try the gun metal color wire with antique brass beads and green or turquoise beads. The copper is also beautiful.
First, let me compliment you on your excellent and easy to read and understand instructions.
do you have any other tutorial that you would share.
Again, thank you.
First, let me compliment you on your excellent and easy to read and understand instructions.
do you have any other tutorial that you would share.
Again, thank you.
I am a crocheter and had a lot of beads left over from 2 years ago when I decided to make beaded jewelery. I came across the materials recently and decided to combine crocheting and beaded jewelery. This is the first site I have come across that provides clear instructions on crocheting wire and beading. In short, thanks for your advice and the wonderful instructions! Merry Christmas and happy new year!
I am a crocheter and had a lot of beads left over from 2 years ago when I decided to make beaded jewelery. I came across the materials recently and decided to combine crocheting and beaded jewelery. This is the first site I have come across that provides clear instructions on crocheting wire and beading. In short, thanks for your advice and the wonderful instructions! Merry Christmas and happy new year!
Great tutorial!! I’ve been trying to perfect my wire crochet technique, but couldn’t quite get the volume I was looking for. Your suggestion to loosely braid strands together is my “missing link”. If you have any other suggestions, please post :) Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!
Great tutorial!! I’ve been trying to perfect my wire crochet technique, but couldn’t quite get the volume I was looking for. Your suggestion to loosely braid strands together is my “missing link”. If you have any other suggestions, please post :) Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!
Hi, just wanna let you know that it’s a great tutorial. I’ve never done wire and bead crocheting before, but after seeing your tutorial, I’m so keen to have a go! A big THANK YOU for posting it. Happy crocheting. :)
Hi, just wanna let you know that it’s a great tutorial. I’ve never done wire and bead crocheting before, but after seeing your tutorial, I’m so keen to have a go! A big THANK YOU for posting it. Happy crocheting. :)
WOW!!!!!!
I have seen work done that looked something like this. But I have never been able to find out how it was done. I will try this. Thank you so much for writing this so that people like me can understand it…lol. I am new at crocheting. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…lol…Thanks again.
WOW!!!!!!
I have seen work done that looked something like this. But I have never been able to find out how it was done. I will try this. Thank you so much for writing this so that people like me can understand it…lol. I am new at crocheting. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…lol…Thanks again.
[...] last year for Craft Magazine. JUST got my latest issue and it had a really clever idea of crocheting WIRE. I haven’t picked up knitting needles or crochet hooks in a while, but look what Diane [...]
Wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing. Especially the idea of putting your smaller beads at the beginning. I’ve had trouble getting my wire crochet to lay right and am eager to try your ideas.
God Bless,
Susan
Wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing. Especially the idea of putting your smaller beads at the beginning. I’ve had trouble getting my wire crochet to lay right and am eager to try your ideas.
God Bless,
Susan
I am so pleased to find your page and all the comments about crochet/knittnig jewellery. I live in UK. I found some craft wire in a craft shop and tried crocheting with it and got “hooked” on it. I love doing it. I am only 85 y. old I would like to try my hand in silver wire and probably in gold wire but do not know where to get it here in UK. Is there anyone who could give me some idea where to look for some nice soft gold wire in 28 gauge.
I do have some books with patterns which I got from Amazon with some stunning patterns but have no idea where to buy precious metal wire of appropriate thickness for crochetting/knitting.
I would be very grateful if anyone could direct me where to apply for the same.
Many thanks and have a merry crocheting
Tiska
I am so pleased to find your page and all the comments about crochet/knittnig jewellery. I live in UK. I found some craft wire in a craft shop and tried crocheting with it and got “hooked” on it. I love doing it. I am only 85 y. old I would like to try my hand in silver wire and probably in gold wire but do not know where to get it here in UK. Is there anyone who could give me some idea where to look for some nice soft gold wire in 28 gauge.
I do have some books with patterns which I got from Amazon with some stunning patterns but have no idea where to buy precious metal wire of appropriate thickness for crochetting/knitting.
I would be very grateful if anyone could direct me where to apply for the same.
Many thanks and have a merry crocheting
Tiska
Hi, I enjoy wire crocheting, nice work, thanks for posting this tutorials. They’re very interesting and helpful for easy learning. Thanks and good luck…
Hi, I enjoy wire crocheting, nice work, thanks for posting this tutorials. They’re very interesting and helpful for easy learning. Thanks and good luck…
Hi. You do a great job, thank you for share with us your work.
Hi. You do a great job, thank you for share with us your work.
I saw a wire crochet piece in a book I recently checked out of the library. I went out and bought some wire and finally tried the technique last night. To say that wire crochet is difficult is an understatement. This morning I went online looking for better instructions and came across yours. I’ve bookmarked the site to come back to.
Thanks! I’ll keep trying.
I saw a wire crochet piece in a book I recently checked out of the library. I went out and bought some wire and finally tried the technique last night. To say that wire crochet is difficult is an understatement. This morning I went online looking for better instructions and came across yours. I’ve bookmarked the site to come back to.
Thanks! I’ll keep trying.
Up to now, I’ve been *very* reluctant to try wire crochet with beading. Other sites made it seem so hard, but your tutorial makes it look so easy! Thanks for giving me the courage to try this. You make it so simple, and the pictures and explanations are so thorough… thanks!
Up to now, I’ve been *very* reluctant to try wire crochet with beading. Other sites made it seem so hard, but your tutorial makes it look so easy! Thanks for giving me the courage to try this. You make it so simple, and the pictures and explanations are so thorough… thanks!
Ty for the tutorial, I made my first one, Only one problem :( I made it too small to fit my wrist :( Oh well Ill try again.
Thanks again for sharing the tutorial I found it easy to follow :)
Ty for the tutorial, I made my first one, Only one problem :( I made it too small to fit my wrist :( Oh well Ill try again.
Thanks again for sharing the tutorial I found it easy to follow :)
i have always wanted to try crocheting jewelry, but every tutorial seemed complicated and too hard to understand. after reading this, i feel like i can actually do it! i can’t wait to get started! :D
Awesome! I really does look more complicated than it is. If you make some jewelry and feel like sharing, there’s a Flickr group for CraftyPod projects – please feel free to add a photo! http://www.flickr.com/groups/1300628@N20/
Very nice… great pictures and explanations… Great Job
Thank you very much for an easy to read and follow instructions on wire/bead crochet. I am going to buy some wire and give it a try.
Sure, Pearl – that’s much appreciated. Thanks!
How long should a bracelet be, on average? This will be my first foray into bracelets and I have no idea how long I should make the strands particularly when I plan on loosely braiding them. Any ideas?
Hi, Alice -
It’s so easy for a bracelet to get too large, so here’s an easy measurement guide:
When you have your beads all strung onto your wire, before you begin crocheting, hold them up against your wrist. The beaded strand should be just long enough to cover the back and sides of your wrist, but not the front. (You can decide which side is the front of the wrist and which is the back – the point is to only have enough beads that the strand covers part of your wrist.)
As you crochet, then, the strand will grow and become the appropriate length for your bracelet. I’ve found this measurement to work well for braided bracelets, too.
Remember, if it comes out a wee bit tight, you can always gently stretch the crochet to lengthen it a little. But if it comes out too long, there’s no way to make it shorter.
Hope that helps!
Wow, I am so impressed with your tutorial, have just made a 3strand crochet wire necklace with beads,which I plaited. It looks amazing, thanks again Margaret. Uk
I like the projects but I don’t care for having to print what everybody thinks about a project.Why should have to print 15 pages to get 3 pages .
Patty, what you need to do is tell your printer to print only the pages that have to do with the tutorial. Just about every printer should have that capacity. You may need to look around in your manual and find our how to do this.
please email me if you sell your bracelets thank you for answering barbara brechka
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Barbara – but I don’t make things to sell. You might try a search on Etsy.com for “wire crochet,” though – I’m sure there are plenty of people selling this kind of jewelry!
This is a fabulous find, instructions very easy to follow, I am hooked
Margaret. Uk
LOVE!!! Thank you, thank you so much :-)!!!!!
[...] Crochet with Wire & Beads on CraftyPod: This is something I’ve always wanted to try, but I could never figure out how to get started. This tutorial really spells it out, along with fantastic photos. I feel like I can do this now! [...]