Daily Wire Tip June 8: What is F-Length Wire?

By on June 7, 2010
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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
June 8, 2010

Question:

What is F-length wire? I have found it in patterns in Dale’s Wirework book, but don’t know what it is. Thanks.

Answer:
I use “F length” wire in both my book, Wirework, and in the written instructions for my DVD Series. It’s something I’ve developed because it’s so easy to use.

Whenever I present a pattern in any arena, “F length” refers to the length of wire in the “F“ormula, which accompanies that specific pattern. Often these patterns are bracelets or ring designs that take different project sizes into account. For example, if making bracelets, the “F length” wire for an 8-inch bracelet will be longer than for a 6-inch bracelet. To learn more, read the beginning of each pattern, where the “F“ormula is specified.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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4 Comments

  1. avatar

    Lori

    June 8, 2010 at 7:03 pm

    Bad answer Couger. I know that you have business to run. But the answer to “F” length wire was like no answer at all. Sorry. I have liked many of your other responses. But you missed this timeespecially if you were answering a beginner.

    Thank you,
    Lori K

    • avatar

      dalecgr

      June 9, 2010 at 12:35 am

      Lori, I disagree, and my answer has nothing to do with running a business, rather it has to do with the description of pattern writing. Every pattern author has his or her own writing style. Instead of writing several lines, I choose to make it easy for people by using formulas when describing how much wire is needed for a particular pattern. For example, for the email pattern ‘Bubble Girl Bracelet’, the ‘F’ormula is wrist + ½-inch, therefore if the bracelet is being made for a 7-inch wrist, the necessary ‘F’ wire length is 7 ½-inches long, if the wrist is 6-inches the ‘F’ wire needs to be 6 ½-inches long. In this way people can make the pattern for ANY size wrist, without having to write out a chart with every size possible from a 4 ¾-inch wrist through an 8 ½-inch wrist or so. Simple.

  2. avatar

    Cathy

    June 9, 2010 at 11:59 am

    Lori,

    Maybe it would help to point out that in her Wire Work book, in particular, Dale explains the formula for bracelets on Page 40. She then goes into several bracelet patterns. If you happened to jump straight into one of those patterns, such as the chevron bracelet on page 45, without first reading the bracelet intro starting on page 40, you would have missed the explanation of the formula. In some patterns, you’ll find the formula listed just below the materials list, as is the case for the neck collar on page 111. The book is efficiently organized, so if you don’t see the formula explanation on the pattern page, back up to the start of the chapter.

    For patterns on Dale’s DVD’s, you’ll find the formulas in the workbook that accompanies the DVD.

    I hope this helps.

  3. avatar

    Johnnie Lambert

    June 9, 2010 at 1:00 pm

    Your second explanation was very clear and easy to understand. Your first response was, I agree, a “non-response”. Thanks for clarifying.