Krystal's Choice

by Dale Armstrong

Category: Contemporary
Technique(s): Wrapping
Skill Level: Beginner

Mother-of-pearl, pearls and shells are the perfect accessory for any outfit this season. When wirejewelry brought in so many cool carved shell and abalone pieces, I was excited to play with them. This is my first design using them; a seemingly simple pendant, with a single/heavy wire bail, that speaks of summertime, beaches, and vacations. (I can hardly wait to see what the rest of our designing faculty comes up with!)

Materials

18 Gauge Round Dead Soft Argentium .940 Silver Wire

H19-18D

Lesson Quantity: 8.00 inches
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
Price: $5.35
Gold Club Price: $4.01

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5-5.5mm Round Black Fresh Water Potato Pearl Large 1.2mm Hole - 16 Inch Strand

PRL-13

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $16.87
Gold Club Price: $12.65

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Blister leaf 58 x 45mm

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each

Abalone flower 40mm

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each

Gold Filled Cable Chain 1.0mm - 10 Feet

C4-119U

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 inches
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Price: $54.00
Gold Club Price: $40.50

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Tools

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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Flat Nose Wire Pliers

G2-506

G2-506
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $32.95
Gold Club Price: $24.71

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Round Nose Wire Pliers

G2-507

G2-507
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $32.95
Gold Club Price: $24.71

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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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12 Inch Stainless Steel Ruler

G7-30

G7-30
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $2.97
Gold Club Price: $2.23

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Instructions

Step 1

Using the tip of chain nose pliers to make a tiny, tight spiral at the end of the 8" round wire. Slide on the 5.5mm round pearl (or your choice of 5 - 6mm round/faceted bead).

Dale Armstrong's Krystal's Choice - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry,

Step 2

Add the abalone flower and then use needle nose chains to bend the wire at a 90° angle, as close to the back of the flower as possible.

Step 3

Use round nose pliers to hold and fingers to bend a small curve into this wire.

Step 4

Add your choice (short chain lengths, headpin charms) to the wire loop just created. Hold the loop with chain nose pliers while using fingers to complete the loop by wrapping the length of wire around the stem, back toward the flower.

Step 5

Use chain nose pliers to make a 90° bend in the wire, heading away from the back of the flower.

Step 6

Add the leaf and make a 90° angle heading up and away from the shells.

Step 7

Wrap the 18-gauge wire around the leaf and back under and around the loop (behind the flower) and bring the remaining length out of the top. About 1" above the leaf, use round nose pliers to roll the wire toward the back, beginning the bail.

Step 8

Carefully tease and feed the wire back through the leaf and use the end to wrap the bail in, 2 to 3 times toward the top.

Step 9

Finish off the bail by using flat nose pliers, placed just above the wrap on the back, and slightly dip toward the front.

Reviews

Dale Armstrong

A die-hard rockhound, lapidary, and wire jewelry designer, instructor and author, Dale credits her mom for spurring the main interest that led to Dale's chosen career. Her mother was an avid rockhound and many, weekend family adventures involved traipsing through the White Mountains of New Hampshire in search of abandoned pegmatite mines. This is where Dale’s fascination with, and education of rocks and minerals began, some 40 years ago.

With more than 40 years of experience, Dale uses absolutely no solder or glue in her traditional wire jewelry designs, and teaches how at jewelry making events in North America, Russia, Ukraine and Switzerland. Her award winning work is sold in galleries and has appeared in many printed publications.

Author of numerous magazine and Internet articles and the bestselling book, “Wirework: An Illustrated Guide to the Art of Wire Wrapping”, Dale has made several series of instructional DVDs for WireJewelry.com.

hen she is not teaching or writing, Dale creates new designs in SE Tennessee where she enjoys her family, furry friends, gardens and tons of rocks.