Wire around suncatchers

[Sue in NC]

When you put supporting wire on a suncatcher, do you usually put the wire all the way around the piece or just around the parts that stick out and need support?   If you do go all the way around, do you twist the two ends of the wire together a bit or only overlap them?  Do you put the hanging loops under the wire, put them on top of it, or make them by bending up a small piece of the surrounding wire itself?

Sue

[Rebecca]

It depends...

Rebecca

[Rebecca]

When you put supporting wire on a suncatcher, do you usually put the wire all the way around the piece or just around the parts that stick out and need support?   If you do go all the way around, do you twist the two ends of the wire together a bit or only overlap them?  Do you put the hanging loops under the wire, put them on top of it, or make them by bending up a small piece of the surrounding wire itself?

Sue

Sometimes I go all the way around and sometimes I don't.  That depends on the shape and size of the suncatcher.  If I go all the way around, I don't twist the ends together.  I put the ends on a "stress-free" spot and butt them together.  I usually thread the hanging loop under the wire, but depending on the size and shape, the wire itself could be used.

Rebecca

[TodB]

FWIW, I agree with Rebecca on this one. - Tod

[Graham]

Yep!! Rebecca rocks!!!

[Rebecca]

Why, thank you gentlemen for your vote of confidence!

Sue, if you have a particular suncatcher in mind, post it and Graham will draw a picture.  The rest of us will chime in with opinions.

Rebecca

[Sue in NC]

Thank you for the help.  Nothing I had read before made it clear what to do with the wire, and the only things I have worked on were either rectangular, round, or oval.

I was trying my first suncatcher, the Red Sox socks, and wanted to give them to my son-in-law. I eventually will try the Flying Elvis minuteman of the New England Patriots, and I have a both a gargoyle cat and an Eastern European (or maybe Scandanavian) folk art angel scratched out in pencil.

The glass for the socks is cut, but it needs to be fitted more.  I was thinking of using wire to indicate the ribbing on the cuff of the socks, but perhaps thinnly cut copper foil would be better?

Sue

[Kev]

I think the wire would look great!

[TodB]

Wire for the ribbing would be easier than thin foil strips, I think.
This shape has lots of integrity and wire around the outside is probably not necessary. I'd use a wider foil for the perimeter and put on a good bead so the lines are consistent and work for the design. - Tod

[TracyCT]

I was trying my first suncatcher, the Red Sox socks, and wanted to give them to my son-in-law.

I did the same Sox for my SIL too - only I did mine as a stepping stone.  I think wire would be perfect for the ribbing.  

[JoanFrances]

nice stepping stone Tracy

[Sue in NC]

Oh, I like the baseball you did for the background, Tracy! That makes the socks stand out and clues in folks who are not Red Sox fans.

Now I have to think about whether to put my socks on a baseball or leave them by themselves!  Decisions, decisions--but good ones and ones that are helping me learn.

If the socks were left by themselves, where would be the best point to put on hangers?  The outside edge of the seams at the bottom of the cuffs? Wouldn't that be too far down?  If loops were at the top edge of the cuff, wouldn't it eventually pull off the beading and copper foil?

Sue

[Kev]

I'd put the hanging loop on the left vertical edge of the right sock above the cuff of the left sock. Solder it in along that edge.

[TracyCT]

That makes the socks stand out and clues in folks who are not Red Sox fans.

GASP!!!  There are people who are not Red Sox fans?  I am appalled!

As for hanging the Sox..  they kinda did a good job of that this past season.. OH, you meant the sun catcher, I would put an O ring on each side of the bottom of the cuffs and use a length of fishing line.  Or you could put an O ring at the joint of the cuffs..  How big are you making it?  Now you've got me thinking that I might make a sun catcher too.   

[Sue in NC]

I drew the socks up on a regular sheet of paper. Overall, they are only about 7 1/2 inches tall and 8 inches wide.

My SIL is Red Sox fanatic and a Patriots fan. The Patriots suncatcher will be tougher.  I have a couple of ideas for it sketched out, but that's as far as I have gone.

[TracyCT]

I drew the socks up on a regular sheet of paper. Overall, they are only about 7 1/2 inches tall and 8 inches wide.
My SIL is Red Sox fanatic and a Patriots fan. The Patriots suncatcher will be tougher.  I have a couple of ideas for it sketched out, but that's as far as I have gone.

That size should not be any problem especially if you wrap it in wire.  There's not much weight to it so don't worry about it pulling away from the edges.  As for The Patriots, their log is a lot trickier.  Check this page out
http://www.google.com/search?q=NE+patriots+logo&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=KMR&rlz=1R1GGLL_en___US379&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=NUssT8OXHoO90AHyj5HRCg&ved=0CDUQsAQ&biw=1440&bih=699

[PiscesGlass]

If the piece doesn't have many pieces I usually don't wire all the way around..just put hanging loops on what soldered lines I can attach them to.

The Patriots logo isn't too bad to do.  My student made one as a gift for one of her friends.  The background of the image isn't the greatest..but here's what she did.

De

[TracyCT]

I like the Patriots one.  Nice.

[Sue in NC]

De, your student did a good job with the Patriots logo. 

I sketched another version last night, borrowing Tracy's Red Sox idea of a ball as a background, so I put the minuteman inside a football shape. Even on my first rough draft, he fits it very well.  Where I was thinking of smaller piece, I considered using copper foil overlay for his eye/eyebrown, sideburns or cheek shading (whatever that is supposed to be on his facef), and his lip.  If I left out some cut lines on his face, I could glue down the parts of the overlay that I could not solder, I think.  But maybe it is best to put in cut lines and solder both ends?  Gosh, I am wandering off topic....  Perhaps I should start another thread.

[mona]

The one thing with the socks though, you're going to have a hard time cutting that 90 degree angle for toe.