I understand your frustration! What I usually do before weaving is I try to work harden the frame wires a bit with nylon jaw pliers, but you can do this with a cloth as well. Then I hold the wires with some rubber covered metal clamps (like the one in the picture). It is easier for me to hold the frame until I have woven a bit, then I can take it off that. It will bend a little, but nothing that can't be straightened again.
Oh and I don't use any kind of needle, just my hands. The working wire will be bent many times (just try not to get any kinks in it) that's why it is recommended you use dead soft... it will get work hardened.

Sometimes I also use a bit of painter's tape to hold things in place until I get the wire far enough along. Some tutorials call this out as a step, but you can do it any time you like. Painter's tape is usually blue, comes in different widths, and is a bit less tacky than regular masking tape so it doesn't leave sticky residue on your work when you remove the tape.

Thanks so much for writing. I about went crazy yesterday. I just kept working with it and I just cannot get the wrap to look like all in the pictures I see. How do you keep even tension, and also how big of a frame wire do you have to use and then how small of a wire should you go to to get the spacing in between. I tried 20 gauge for a frame and tried 24 gauge, 26, and 28 for weaving and each of those wires were entirely too small according to what these pictures look. So I then just used 20 gauge with 20 gauge weaving as well. and it was too bulky but I did at least get it weaved into a makshift ring. I will take a picture of it later, but it isn't great that is for sure. I am using cheap crafting wire that you get a walmart and it is going to ugly anyway, as smaller wires they had didn't even match the bigger wires. I am glad I didn't use my good wire, or I would be broke. I did get some copper wire and am going to try it on that today. I hope I can get it right. Thanks again guys, and forgive me loosing it in frustration, I am having problems with my eyes these past few days. I get blurred vision from my diabetes, and man I was seeing these stars all day yesterday. Seriously, it freaked me out , and is still there a bit. I got off my horse, and sat in a chair, and looked up at the sky, and it looked like 4th of july, thousands of these things fluttering around. Anyone ever hear of that, email me. I know this is OT and forgive me for mentioning it but being alone sometimes I don't have anyone to ask. Ok, gonna run, and try with the copper wire. Wish me luck, and I will take some pictures. Happy creating, Pam

stars and 4th of July in your vision sounds like my optic migraines .... see your optometrist!!!!

Pam, as for the size of the wires, 20 or 18 ga will make nice wires for the frames. You should try to have the weaving wire 8 or 10 sizes smaller... meaning that if you'll be working with 20 ga wire, you should weave with 28 or 30 ga wire. Sometimes it looks like the weaving wire is huge in the pics, but most of the times it's just what it seems, it may be that it is a closeup. Keeping this difference between both wire sizes will also help you in keeping the same tension.

Hi Pam

Another way to help your weave to look even is to push your thinner woven wire along the thicker wires with your thumb nail every 3 - 5 weaves or coils. Oh and take your time!!!

Happy weaving and have fun.

Abby
http://www.abbyhook.co.uk

First of all ,thanks again for the comments, and Guess What!!! Now I know what I was doing wrong. IT was the wire I was using for sure. Man did they look awful ugly. It was because the thinner wire didn't have any luster to it, and it just looked like a crinkled screen if you ask me. But last night, I got out the copper wire, and I use a 20 guage for the frame, and I used the 24 gauge, and man is that ever beautiful. Not a wire out of place, and I made it in a heart shaped, and am going to finish with a center of it with a herringbone weave in a random pattern. I will take picture when it is done, but yipeeeee, I got it now. I used the weave # 3 I believe in Gaila's tut, the one where you do the figure eight, but add a wrap extra on each side, and as I went over the curves of the heart, I did 2 wraps between the upper wire as it curved around and I am actually impressed with the work I did. Oh and the wire was so much easier then the wire that I had because that wire was on a small spool like a spool of thread. It had that memory of that small coil and that was the worst part, as it just kept getting worse and worse with bending and I thought yuck, its not worth all that. But the copper wire went through with hardly a bend. I just am so happy now, because it is truly beautiful. I am going to try the tut on the heart design as well, so I can see how that heart was made. I just think that was the most beautiful piece when I first got on the site. But my mind is going nuts, and I am drawing all kinds of plans for this weave. I think I am hooked. yipppeeeeeeeee, Thanks guys, Pam

I use my left hand and/or painters tape to hold wires. My right hand does the wrapping.

If you do not like your results, look at your wire. Is it kinked or overworked? Try changing the sizes. 18/20 gage acan be swapped. Also 26/28 gage. Experiment on scraps.

Alexis