French wire is a thin metal wire coiled into a tight spiral that can be round, flat, thin, or thick. It is made of copper wire and has various types of coatings (usually silver or gold plating). Th
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French wire is a thin metal wire coiled into a tight spiral that can be round, flat, thin, or thick. It is made of copper wire and has various types of coatings (usually silver or gold plating). This affects its quality, properties, and color.
How do you determine how much you need to buy and what kind of French wire you need? In this article, you will find answers to all your questions.
Everything comes with experience, and if you have already tried embroidering something with this copper thread, you know what kind of material you need to work with.
Based on the planned piece you are working on, you can calculate the length of each type of copper thread and then convert it into grams.
Stiff French wire is created by winding wire around a cylindrical form. To embroider with stiff French wire, you need to stretch it, but only slightly. In factory mass production, this is not possible. In terms of quality, stiff French wire is durable. It is mainly used to outline large elements and patterns, as it holds its shape and direction very well during embroidery. I always have the basic colors in my arsenal. Among them are silver, gold, bronze, red, and green.
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Soft French wire is several times thinner than stiff wire, so it requires gentler handling when working with it because it can deform. It can be used for decorative stitches or hardened surfaces. I do not recommend using it to edge pieces. I once made that mistake and had to redo several brooches.
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Smooth French wire is less flexible than soft wire. Its advantage lies in its brightness and shine, reflecting light off its smooth surface. This is great for creating a contrasting effect in combinations of different types of metallic threads.
Truncal is made by winding wire around a polygonal core with bends at the angles of refraction, giving truncal an incomparable play of light. This is why embroiderers love this type of French wire. It has good flexibility and is suitable for creating intricate patterns.
French wire is an inexpensive material that is fairly easy to work with, even for a beginning crafter. A wide variety of colors, shapes, and diameters is available, making it very versatile. Thanks to such diversity, you can create true masterpieces using French wire alone. Paired with seed beads, beads, and rhinestones, the ribbon looks even better. French wire does not make the work look cheap and pairs well with any high-quality materials. It is lightweight, and you can embroider with it even on mesh or silk. With its help, you can achieve very interesting effects that are impossible to obtain using other materials.
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