Home / Jewelry Making Patterns / Criss Cross Wire Wrap
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap, Classic Wire Jewelry. Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop. Here's a good way to wrap an odd shaped flat stone.

Criss Cross Wire Wrap

by Karen Meador, Ph.D.
  • Category: Classic
  • Technique(s): Lashing, Making Loops
  • Skill Level: Beginner
Here's a good way to wrap an odd shaped flat stone. The criss cross pattern helps to hold the stone snugly while adding beautiful metal to the design.


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Materials

24 Gauge Round Dead Soft Copper Wire
H11-24D
  • Lesson Quantity: 5.00 feet
  • Purchase Quantity: 5.00 1FT
  • Price: $0.27
  • Gold Club Price: $0.20
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20 Gauge Round Dead Soft Copper Wire
H11-20D
  • Lesson Quantity: 12.00 inches
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
  • Price: $0.49
  • Gold Club Price: $0.37
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26 Gauge Round Dead Soft Copper Wire
H11-26D
  • Lesson Quantity: 12.00 inches
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
  • Price: $0.19
  • Gold Club Price: $0.14
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square stone pendant
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
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Tools

C.H.P Milano Italian Flush Cutter, 5 1/2 Inches
PLR-487.00
  • PLR-487.00
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $16.97
  • Gold Club Price: $12.73
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Chain Nose Wire Pliers
G2-508
  • G2-508
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $32.95
  • Gold Club Price: $24.71
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6 1/2 Inch Bail Making Pliers
G2-18
  • G2-18
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $12.78
  • Gold Club Price: $9.58
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Instructions
Step 1
Loosely measure around the perimeter of the stone and triple that length. Flush cut eight 24g wires this length.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, flat stone
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, cut wires
Step 2
Put four of the wires side by side and neatly bind the middle of these together with 26g wire. Wrap around enough times to provide the length needed fit around a bottom corner of the stone (usually 10 or more).
Pro Tip: It's a good idea to use the chain nose pliers to snug (lightly flatten) the binding wires against the main wires. Repeat for the other set of four wires.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, wrap the wires together
Step 3
Use chain nose pliers to create a right angle in the middle of each binding. This will likely create a small gap in the binding.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, make a right angle
Step 4
Bend the wires apart on each side of the binding as shown in the photo.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, bend the wires apart
Step 5
Position a set of bound wires on each bottom corner and tightly tape these in place as shown in the photo.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, position the bound wires on each corner
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, tape in place
Step 6
Crisscross the wires on the front left with those on the front right weaving them over and under each other as shown in the photo. Repeat for the wires in the back.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, criss cross the wires
Step 7
Gather the wires from the front and the back (8 wires) on each side about 2/3 way up the stone and use the chain nose pliers to turn them straight up toward the stone top. Use 26g wire to bind the wires on each side being careful to keep them flat. They tend to want to form a cylinder.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, gather the wires and bind
Step 8
Pull the front wires on each side together to meet in the middle near the top. Then pull them straight up. Repeat for the back wires.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, pull the front wires
Step 9
Optional: For added security if the stone has a hole at the top, pull one back wire through the hole from back to front and up into the bundle.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, pull one wire through the hole
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, pull one wire through the hole
Step 10
Wrap a piece of 24g wire around the 16 wires a few times at the top of the stone. This is to hold them in place while you form the bail. (Optional: If you have pulled a wire through the stone hole, you can wrap the bundle with that wire.)
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, wrap around the wires
Step 11
Bend 7 or 8 of the bundle wires in the back straight down to lessen the number in the bail. Flush cut the back 8 wires and turn them under.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, bend 7 wires straight down
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, trim the wires
Step 12
Use chain nose pliers to bend the rest of the bundle towards the back at a right angle. Form the bail toward the front around bail-making pliers.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, form the bail
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, form the bail
Step 13
Use chain nose pliers to push the end of the bail circle toward the bundle completing the bail shape.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, bend the bail
Step 14
Bind all the bundle with 20g wire starting at the bottom of the bail circle and wrapping down toward the stone. You will be securely capturing all the wires. Finish this binding by putting the end of the wire under itself in the back.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, bind the bundle of wires
Step 15
Flush cut the front bail wires to the desired length and create swirls or other desired shapes. Remove the tape on the corners of the piece.
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, flush cut the wires
Karen Meador, Ph.D.'s Criss Cross Wire Wrap - , Classic Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, spiral the wires

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