Side Crossover Pendant

Cut the 20 gauge wire in half. Put the two 20 gauge wires (base wires) in the clamp 4 ½ inches from the end of the wires. Determine the width of the bezel needed for your stone. Then, use the larger dowel to set the space between the two wires, on the side with the longer length of wire sticking out, by putting it between the wires so both wires are barley touching the dowel. Tighten the clamp down so the wires are held in place.

Take the 24 gauge wire (weaving wire) and wrap one end around one of the base wires 5 times on the side of the clamp with the most wire sticking out.

Take the weaving wire over to the other base wire, going to the opposite side. For example if the weaving wire is coming over the top of the base wire take it to the back of the other base wire. (Front of the wire is the side facing you the back is the side away from you.) Wrap the weaving wire around that base wire 10 times.

Use the dowel to check the space between the base wires. Bring the weaving wire to the opposite side of the other base wire while keeping the spacing between the wires. While going from one base wire to the other make sure to cross the wire from front to back, or back to front, do not just bring the wire straight across on the same side

Repeat wrapping the wire around one side 10 times, crossing over to the other base wire and wrapping that side 10 times.

When the weave starts getting long and or unstable, undo the clamp and slip the weave into the clamp then re-tighten.

Continue this weave till it is 3 inches long (just under the length of the diameter of the stone). End the weave with just 5 wraps after a crossover. Remove from the clamp.

Use a smaller dowel to put a bend in the weave of the wire. This is done so the weave fits around the stone with less manipulation. Any rod smaller then the distance between the base wires will work, even bending the weaving wire slightly with a finger nail will work.

Shape the weave around the outside of the stone with the weave ends coming together at the pointed end of the stone.

On one side of the stone pinch the base wires together at the point of the stone. Take the weaving wire from whichever side it is on and cross to the opposite side of the other base wire. Wrap the wire around the base wire once. Shape the base wires into a gentle V shape for the bail. Take the weaving wire across to the opposite side of the other base wire, wrap around once. This is the figure 8 weave.

Once the weave gets about ¼ to 3/16th of an inch wide, bend the base wires parallel to each other to maintain the spacing of the width of the bail.
Continue weaving by wrapping the weaving wire around one base wire once then crossing over to the opposite side of the other base wire (front side to back side or back side to front side) then wrapping the weaving wire around that base wire once before crossing back to the opposite side of the other base wire.

When the bail weave is about 2/3 of an inch long bend the base wires back together at an angle. The total length of the bail should be about 1 inch long.

Continue the figure 8 weave to where the base wires come together. To make the weave even use a finger nail to hold the weave in place tightly against each other.

Wrap weaving wire around one base wire 3 times then both base wires twice. Then around the first base wire 3 times then both twice. Repeat.

Continue this weave for about 2 inches. Wrap weaving wire around one base wire 3 times. Cut off weaving wire close to the weave and smooth with flat or chain nose pliers.

Bend the bail slightly to the front then use the bail making pliers and bend the wire around them to the back of the pendant. Make a slight bend in the wire in the opposite direction. The long end of the weave should be lying down on the back side of the pendant.

Take the base wires on the back side of the pendant and start twisting them together over the top of the bail weave. To make a nice even twist, have the wires at almost a 160 degree angle from each other. With a wide angle between the two wires being twisted together it makes a nice even twist.

Twist the wires for about an inch. Bring twist up and over the bail and check for length. The twist should sit right in the dent in the bail and go to the front side of the bail ending just before the start of the bail.

Thread the ends of the wire through the space at the bottom of the bail, between the bail and the stone. This may be a tight fit. Pull the wires till they are snug and the twist lies on the bail from the back to the front.

Take the ends of the twisted wire and wrap them in opposite directions around the base of the bail once all the way around. After this step there should be 2 bare wires around the base of the bail on both the front and the back of the pendant.

On the side of the bail cut the wire which is wrapped around the bail about 1/8th of an inch from where it comes around the side of the bail. Bend and tuck the cut wire around the inside of the bail. Repeat with the other wire.

Take the woven end which is left and bend up and around the bottom of the bail. Wrap it around the base of the bail one time.