Decorative Wraps Book by Billy Vivona: Rod Building Wrap Patterns

Our take on Decorative Wraps by Billy Vivona

If you want to move from plain guide wraps to decorative patterns on your rods, this book gives you a solid working base. More than 100 illustrated and explained patterns make it a library of ideas to keep open next to your rod wrapper.

What you need to know

• Author: Billy Vivona
• Over 100 decorative wrap patterns, each with images and instructions
• 82 pages, black and white print
• Written in English
• Weight: approx. 287 g
• Patterns suited to spinning, casting, fly or saltwater blanks

• Thread selection and color preservers
• Gradient (fading) wraps
• Set-up and keeping track of your work
• Thread packing and tying off your wraps
• Epoxy finishing and Visual Wrap software

At the bench: from first pattern to gradient wrap

Preparing the thread and laying out the pattern

A decorative wrap is built by crossing threads of different colors, usually above the grip where the pattern shows best. Billy Vivona starts with the fundamentals: thread choice, the use of color preservers and setting up the blank before the first turn. He also stresses keeping track of your progress, which becomes essential once a pattern involves dozens of passes. Consistent thread packing determines how crisp the lines look, and the book gives it a dedicated section. Every pattern comes with illustrations so you can follow the build step by step.

Gradients, finishing and design with Visual Wrap

Gradient wraps shift one shade into another progressively, an effect that works very well on custom rod building projects. The author then covers tying off your wraps, a delicate step where a poorly secured thread can spoil an otherwise clean pattern. Epoxy finishing is treated separately, since it protects the thread and brings out the colors. The book finally introduces Visual Wrap, a computer-aided design program that lets you draw and test a pattern before touching the blank. You can check colors and proportions on screen, then reproduce the pattern on your rod with more confidence.