Have you ever been working on another project, and while doing so, another technique you were trying to master just clicked? That happened to me a few days ago when I was practicing an eight strand braid on some 26 gauge wire. I was using such a thin gauge just for practice, and because I’m almost out of my thicker gauge wires (need to put an order in soon). After finishing up on my practice piece, I was like, well I better try and use this for something! So I went to try and capture a cabochon with the braid. Bad news: 26 gauge wire is far too thin a gauge to do more than a cage with small beads and cabs. The good news: The technique for capturing a cabochon with a braid just clicked, so I went to work on getting that technique down!
When I first tried it, I used some 20 gauge, copper wire. I braided the braid so tight, that I couldn’t stretch out the sections of the braid with the crochet hook, like the tutorial says. So instead, I made a braid with 22 gauge wire, and when I went to stretch it out for the capturing process, it totally worked! I’m sooooo excited that I finally figured out how this capture technique works, because it’s one I’ve been wanting to figure out how to do for ages. I just find it so pretty, and I was right: It’s gorgeous! I have majorly gotten into doing braided bracelets recently too, after practicing it a bit: Like I said, I just love how it looks, and definitely can see myself using braiding with both wire and cording. I already have some other design ideas planned with this woo!
Crystal Chats 