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Free Pattern: Wire Bird Pendant with Cabochon By Oksana Truhan

By on June 19, 2017
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by Judy Ellis, Wirejewelry.com

Wire Jewelry Pattern for June 19th, 2017

Wire Bird Pendant with Cabochon

by Oksana Truhan

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This wonderful little bird will show you how to wire on a cabochon and solder the copper. Ready to go?!

Materials:

Tools:

Directions:

Step 1: Start by sketching a bird similar to mine. Trace my pattern if that helps. The dimensions are 35mm x 50mm. (Approx. 1.5″ x 2″)

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Step 2: Use the 18g wire to trace the outline of the bird shape.

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Step 3: Notice how I’ve curled the wire into his wing. There must be a solid base of wire for the cabochon base.

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Step 4: Gently hammer the wire flat from the back and file the ends smooth.

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Step 5: Cut a 2″ piece of 18g wire for the bail

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Step 6: Cut 16″ of 20g wire and make the eye for the bird about 1″ from one end as shown. And hammer flat the 1″ tail.

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Step 7: Solder the bail wire to the top of the bird at the intersection of as many wires as you can to make it secure.

Tip: I use copper solder because it leaves no traces of solder, but you can use any solder.

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Step 8: File or sand clean the area where you will solder on the 20g wire. Solder the wire to the frame so the eye ends up in the proper place.

Tip: When I solder the 20g wire to the frame, I use a tweezers to hold the wire. That serves as a heat sink and slows down the possible melting of the thin wire as you solder. 

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Step 9: Pickle, rinse, and dry the piece. At this point, the soldering will have softened the wire. Use a nylon hammer and anvil to gently work harden the piece.

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Step 10: Trim the excess wire and smooth the end.

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Step 11: Make a bail by bending the bail wire over round-nose pliers and turning up the end a bit. Trim an excess wire and file smooth.

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Step 12: With the 20g wire, wrap around the cabochon and then form several “wings” of wire to extend over the top of the cabochon. You can make any pattern you want but make enough that the cab won’t slip through any openings. These wires will be woven to keep the stone snug.

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Step 13: Use the 28g wire to weave the wing wires together. Begin at the base wires.

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Step 14: Now weave the wires on the other side of the cab. Continue making small sections of weaving anywhere the will secure the cab in its place.

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Step 15: Cut a new piece of 28g wire to coil around the top of the bird and around the base of the bail. Trim all excess wires.

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Step 16: Use liver of sulfur to patina the whole piece. Rinse and dry thoroughly. Wipe off excess with a pro polish cloth, and then polish using your preferred method. Wash the piece with cold water and soap to remove any traces of dirt.

Tip: Copper can dull from moisture in the air. You can choose to use a varnish on the metal if you want, but don’t varnish the stone, just the copper.

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Happy Wrapping!

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One Comment

  1. avatar

    Judith Morningstar

    June 20, 2017 at 3:24 pm

    This is realllly cute! I love it.