Rustic

wrappings

exploring patina
in wire, metal,
and glass je w elry

KERRY BOGERT

introduction
Carefree and fanciful; organic and natural; timeless and

spritz a little salt water on metal floating in the fumes of

possible; passionate and sensibleevoking a romantic ren-

ammonia to get the prettiest blue patina Ihad ever seen.

dezvous set against a backdrop of a western sunset . . .

Ihave to thank Linda and Opie O'Brien's Metal Craft Discov-

These are just a few of the images and emotions Ihope

ery Workshop (North Light Books, 2005) for introducing me

you'll experience as you flip through the pages of this book.

to many of the patina methods Iexplore in this book. Iused

Isn't it amazing how jewelry can sum up a multitude of

their techniques as a springboard into my own methods that

ideas all at once? Being able to express yourself in such

I'll be sharing with you. Iknow you are going to love being a

a way can be a really powerful thing. Throughout my cre-

studio color scientist as much as Ido!

ative career, Ihave had the opportunity to explore several

Iam also excited to be including another technique in

modes of self-expression. Isew, Iknit, Ipaint, and Iwrite.

these pages: wire embroidery. Using wire to embroider on

Ialways, always, find myself coming back to jewelry as my

metal started as a what if idea while browsing the sewing

favorite means of communicating what is in my heart. As

section of my local bookstore. Iwas flipping through the

Ibend, twist, hammer, snip, and otherwise manipulate wire,

pages of Embroidered Effects (Chronicle Books, 2009), by

Icapture in a necklace, bracelet, or earrings, things that can

Jenny Hart, when Istarted to see visions of piercing metal

sometimes be hard to say with words. It allows me to share

and wire turned floss. Weaving wire in and out as Iwould a

with the world who Iam and what Ihope to be.

needle and thread has busted open a world of possibilities

Most of the time, my jewelry uses bright and bold colors

and shiny silver to evoke feelings of joy, fun, play, and youthfulness. However, in this book we will be exploring a more

for me. Ithink you'll be pleasantly surprised by how easy it

is to add these new layers to your repertoire of skills.
As always, in these pages you will find not only the ba-

settled, earthly, organic, and wistful style of design that

sics of jewelry making, but careful step-by-step guidance in

takes inspiration from life, love, nature and the elements,

how to work new techniques. This book also offers color tips

times gone by, and the hope of things to come.

and insights with you to kick-start palettes. Ihave had many

One of the ways to create this thoughtful mood is to play

conversations with students who tell me they fear color and

with color. Copper roofs have amazing color, for example. So

often find themselves in a color rut. Fear is the last emotion

do old bronze sculptures. How could that be re-created on the

that we would want to evoke in a jewelry design, so prepare

surface of jewelry without leaving it in the rain for 100 years?

to be inspired!

How do you create rustic jewelry using methods that go beyond simply oxidizing, incorporating a wide variety of colors?
Its not as hard as you may think. Ican't tell you how
completely amazed Iwas the day Idiscovered that Icould

Ican't wait to get started! So grab your pliers and lets

get twisting . . .

kerry

vinegar

patina

directions

Fill a small resealable container with

sawdust.

Pour a liberal amount of white vinegar

on the sawdust and mix with your
fingers. Not all the dust needs to be
soaked, but it should start to come
together almost like a paste.

Bury your metal in the saturated sawdust and seal the container. Allow to
set overnight.

Note: If you can create a greenhouse environment by putting the

sealed container in direct sunlight, you
Vinegar creates an enchanted dimensional look on
brass (left) and copper (right).

can greatly speed up the process. The

intense heat helps hasten the patina
development.

Where ammonia turns most metals blue, vinegar takes

them to a lovely place where green grows. Unlike ammonia,
however, the fumes dont cause the effect; you cant simply

Remove the metal components from

the sawdust and let air-dry. Once
dry, use a soft bristle brush to gently
remove any sawdust stuck to the

soak a piece in vinegar to get the look, either. You need some-

surface of the metal. Dont concern

thing to hold the moisture of the vinegar and let it wick down

yourself with removing every single

onto the metal. I have experimented with several mediums

piece of sawdust. When the patina

to see which works best for this. By far, I have had the most

is sealed, the remnants add to the

success with sawdust. The fine shavings of wood leave behind

texture of the surface and aged feel

of the piece.

an almost crystalline sheen to the surface of the metal that

reminds me of the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz.

Rustic

wrappings

Finshed size: 18'' (45.5 cm)

TECHNIQUES
coiling
jump rings
wrapped loops
simple loops
clasps
patina

mountain
bride

TOOLS
round-nose pliers
chain-nose pliers
wire cutters
" mandrel
coiling tool
chasing hammer
bench block
polishing cloth
ammonia
cotton balls
resealable bag
alcohol ink (color shown: cranberry)
craft mat
sealant
paintbrush

MATERIALS
16 g brass wire
20 g brass wire
1820 clear glass head pins
Lampwork head pins by
Anne Lichtenstein

Special occasions often spark the creation of a

future heirloom that will be passed down for
generations. Wrapped in the warmth of love, this
Baroque-inspired design has all the drama of velvet
drapes and the softness of snowcapped mountains.
Although this piece was created in a modern studio,
the style gives it a feeling of age and history.

Rustic

wrappings

Finshed size: 7.5'' (19 cm)

TECHNIQUES
embroidery
wrapped loops
clasps
oxidizing

wonder
while you wander

TOOLS
chain-nose pliers
round-nose pliers
wire cutters
punch pliers
alphabet stamps
utility hammer
liver of sulfur
polishing cloth

While out on an unexpected afternoon stroll, your

feet move one in front of the other and your thoughts

MATERIALS

may wander and drift to far-off places. It is too easy to

20 g sterling silver wire

20 g " (1.3mm) sterling silver
strip
24 g colored copper wire (color
turquoise)
4 round lampworked beads

forget to let our thoughts wander when life is so full of

Lampwork beads by Kerry Bogert

Rustic

wrappings

stresses, though. Let this embroidered cuff be a reminder

just to let go and see where your mind roams.

Spice Trader

Moroccan Archways

Sprockets in Pockets

The Mariner

Rustic

wrappings

contents
INTRODUCTION
TOOLS
WORKING WITH ALTERNATIVE METAL WIRES
TECHNIQUES
Wrapped loops
Chunky wrapped loops
Linking wrapped loops
Simple loops
Forming open and closed spirals
Head pins
Coiling
Fabricating findings

PATINAS
Traditional liver of sulfur patina
and prefinished wires
Heat
Ammonia and saltwater patina
Vinegar and saltwater patina
Vinegar and wood chip patina
Alcohol inks

EXPLORING RUSTIC COLOR

WIRE EMBROIDERY
TIPS & TECHNIQUES
25 STEP-BY-STEP PROJECTS
ARTIST BIOS
RESOURCES
INDEX

dont just

s c r at c h t h e s u r fa c e

Explore an exciting approach to creating sophisticated metal jewelry.

Packed with 25 irresistible projects in romantic and muted tones,
Rustic Wrappings shows you how to use simple techniques to create
rustic, weathered effects in wire and art bead jewelry.
Inside, youll learn how to create unique patinas for your copper,
silver, brass, and steel wire projects, using simple household ingredients: salt, vinegar, sawdust, and hydrogen peroxide. Applying different patinas imbues the pieces with beautiful, eye-catching contrast.
You will also learn how to use metal wire to embroider designs on
punched metal jewelry pieces, opening up an exciting world of possibilities for embellishment.
Using these novel techniques, Kerry Bogerts signature art glass
and coiled wire designs reach a new depth. Beginners will benefit
from detailed technique instruction, while skilled designers will enjoy
taking their necklace, earring, and bracelet ideas to the next level.
With a plethora of projects and techniques to teach and inspire,
Rustic Wrappings will help you blissfully reimagine the possibilities of
wirework jewelry.

KERRY BOGERT is a jewelry maker with a focus

on glass and wire. She is the author of Totally Twisted
(Interweave). She has written articles for more than a
dozen trade publications and contributed designs to
five books, including Wire Style 1 and 2, Chain Style,
101 Wire Earrings, and Creative Beading Vol. 4. She
lives in upstate New York.

PA P E R B A C K
8.5 9
1 2 8 PA G E S
ISBN 978-1-59668-549-9
$22.95
A VA I L A B L E J U LY 2 0 1 2