Aluminum Wire – Say Hello To Kumihimo!

I am showing you a tiny section from a new kumihimo braid and a fabulous wire pendant.

I invited Nancy Donaldson to come to the Innovation Seminar at John Bead last week so that she could show us some of her beautiful wire work samples.

She’s been using the new Dazzle-It Aluminum Wire to make these pendants!

She hand twists her shapes.  Aluminum wire is so light weight! The type of wire Nancy used to work with required a lot of hammering and forging.  Then she injured her arm and didn’t think she’d be twisting wire anymore.  Aluminum wire makes it possible for her to create beautiful jewelery again!

When Nancy teaches students to make their first wire piece she explains that it is easier and much less expensive to work with aluminum.  You can always move up to a more expensive wire once you feel confident with your techniques. She made the copper sample after we both fell in love with this picture.

The bead swivels!  She barely had it on the table when I asked if I could “ahem, borrow it.”

When I got home from the event I immediately pulled out this assortment of rattail.

My husband actually stopped when he saw my kumihimo disk set up to say “that is not a colour grouping you usually see.”

I could not wait to create the necklace to show off the pendant. My favorite kumihimo braid so far!  I think it showcases Nancy’s pendant beautifully!