How to determine which is the best wire for your project. There are so many varieties in terms of the material it is made of and the thickness. When creating your piece you will need to keep in mind that the heavier and larger the pendants and stones are the thicker gauge wire you will probably need to use.
When choosing wire the beginning designer will probably want to start with a thinner wire as it is much easier to learn to wire wrap and use for various projects. 20 to 24 gauge is recommended for this. I generally use 20 gauge for most of my projects. For some lightweight earrings I create I will use 22 gauge. There are many designers that will use 24 gauge as it is less expensive and very easy to work with. I prefer not to use it, I think it is just too thin and can break easily.
Materials, I love working with copper wire. It is easy to wrap with. The warm color of copper compliments many kinds of beads and pendants. It is also relatively inexpensive to purchase.
After you have used the wire and are comfortable working with it, your wrapping skills are good. You might want to go to thicker gauge wire and also different materials. Sterling is very easy to work with but is expensive. Brass is a good material to use also. It is all what you prefer to work with and the look you are trying to achieve.
