Snowy Road Pendant
- Category: Classic
- Technique(s): Wrapping, Weaving
- Skill Level: Intermediate
This pendant uses a classic wire wrap to set and hold an oblong jasper cabochon. You can choose your favorite stone to set.
Materials
18 Gauge Round Half Hard Copper Wire
H11-18H
- Lesson Quantity: 7.75 inches
- Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
- Price: $0.81
- Gold Club Price: $0.61
26 Gauge Round Half Hard Copper Wire
H11-26H
- Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
- Purchase Quantity: 1.00 5FT
- Price: $1.02
- Gold Club Price: $0.76
Tools
6 Step Barrel Plier - Pack of 1
G2-503
- G2-503
- Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
- Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
- Price: $14.95
- Gold Club Price: $11.21
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
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
4 Inch Wire Jewelry Cushion Clamp - Pack of 1
G10-2
- G10-2
- Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
- Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
- Price: $9.95
- Gold Club Price: $7.46
Steel Bench Block 4x4 Inch - Pack of 1
G17-10
- G17-10
- Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
- Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
- Price: $21.95
- Gold Club Price: $16.46
Flat Face Chasing Hammer
HAM-161.00
- HAM-161.00
- Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
- Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
- Price: $14.97
- Gold Club Price: $11.23
Goldstone 13x18mm Rectangle Cabochon
E8-23P
- E8-23P
- Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
- Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
- Price: $3.00
- Gold Club Price: $2.25
Green Goldstone 13x18mm Rectangle Cabochon
E8-25P
- E8-25P
- Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
- Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
- Price: $3.33
- Gold Club Price: $2.50
Instructions
Step 1:
Begin with your cabochon and painter's tape.
● Cut a long length of tape. Cut the tape in half.
● Wrap one half of the length of tape around the circumference of your cabochon, layering the ends one over the other.
● Cut the tape in the center of the overlap.
● Measure the length of tape to find the circumference of your cabochon.
● Wrap one half of the length of tape around the circumference of your cabochon, layering the ends one over the other.
● Cut the tape in the center of the overlap.
● Measure the length of tape to find the circumference of your cabochon.
Step 2
Switch to the piece of 18 gauge round wire.
● Cut 4 pieces of 18 gauge wire using the measurement of your cabochon circumference plus 4 inches - ex. 3.75" + 4" = 7.75" (x4 pieces).
● Mark the center of each of your wires.
● Also, mark the wire where bottom corners of your cabochon land.
● Cut 4 pieces of 18 gauge wire using the measurement of your cabochon circumference plus 4 inches - ex. 3.75" + 4" = 7.75" (x4 pieces).
● Mark the center of each of your wires.
● Also, mark the wire where bottom corners of your cabochon land.
Step 3
Take one of your base wires aside.
● Place the small peg of your stepped mandrel pliers at the center mark.
● Bend the wire into a tight "U" shape from the center mark.
● Switch to your steel block and chasing hammer.
● Lightly hammer from the bottom of the U toward the top, but only a little above the height of the stone.
● Texture the U shape using the ball peen.
● Place the small peg of your stepped mandrel pliers at the center mark.
● Bend the wire into a tight "U" shape from the center mark.
● Switch to your steel block and chasing hammer.
● Lightly hammer from the bottom of the U toward the top, but only a little above the height of the stone.
● Texture the U shape using the ball peen.
Step 4:
Shaping the U wire.
● Hold the U wire with pliers on one of the post using flat chain nose pliers.
● Place your finger next to the pliers on the base wire and make a bend.
● Bend the other wire in the same direction, in an echoed shape.
● Place the U wire over the top of your cabochon, with the bottom of the U in the center.
● Mark where you will place the next bend.
● Use the same process to create 2 more bends in the U wire, near the top of the cabochon.
● Place your finger next to the pliers on the base wire and make a bend.
● Bend the other wire in the same direction, in an echoed shape.
● Place the U wire over the top of your cabochon, with the bottom of the U in the center.
● Mark where you will place the next bend.
● Use the same process to create 2 more bends in the U wire, near the top of the cabochon.
Step 5:
Fitting the U to the cabochon face.
● Place the U wire on top of your cabochon and mark where the top of the cabochon lands.
● Place the stepped mandrel pliers on your mark and create a gentle bend in the U wire posts, toward the back away from the front of the wire.
● Place the stepped mandrel pliers just above your mark, and bend the wires back toward the front, creating a gentle S-curve.
● Use flat chain nose wires to create a gentle bend in the bottom of the U wire.
● Bend the wire toward the back.
*Note: this will fit the bottom of the U wire to the curvature of your cabochon. Straighten the top of the U wire.
● Using your cabochon as your guide, make gentle bends at the S-curve at the top of the cabochon so that the bail post wires will be centered.
● Place the stepped mandrel pliers on your mark and create a gentle bend in the U wire posts, toward the back away from the front of the wire.
● Place the stepped mandrel pliers just above your mark, and bend the wires back toward the front, creating a gentle S-curve.
● Use flat chain nose wires to create a gentle bend in the bottom of the U wire.
● Bend the wire toward the back.
*Note: this will fit the bottom of the U wire to the curvature of your cabochon. Straighten the top of the U wire.
● Using your cabochon as your guide, make gentle bends at the S-curve at the top of the cabochon so that the bail post wires will be centered.
Step 6:
Binding the frame.
● Use tape or a clamp to hold the 3 straight base wires flat.
● Using the 26 gauge wire, wrap 5 times around one side of the center mark.
● Add the U wire at the center mark and wrap it flush with the other 3 base wires.
● Wrap 5 more times on the other side of the U wire, around the 3 base wires.
● Trim and tuck on the inside of the bottom frame.
● Using the 26 gauge wire, wrap 5 times around one side of the center mark.
● Add the U wire at the center mark and wrap it flush with the other 3 base wires.
● Wrap 5 more times on the other side of the U wire, around the 3 base wires.
● Trim and tuck on the inside of the bottom frame.
Step 7:
Framing the Cabochon
*Note: my rectangle cabochon has rounded sides, so I did the next step to accommodate.
● Hold the frame at the bottom center with flat chain nose pliers.
● Gently press up, toward the bail, at both corners with your fingers to round the bottom of the frame.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
● Place a clamp one one set of 3 wires.
● Set the cabochon inside the frame and mark where both of the top corners land. Just below these marks, wrap 5 times around both sets of the 3 base wire posts with 26 gauge wire.
● Trim & tuck on the inside of the frame.
● Repeat with other 3 frame wires
● Hold the frame at the bottom center with flat chain nose pliers.
● Gently press up, toward the bail, at both corners with your fingers to round the bottom of the frame.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
● Place a clamp one one set of 3 wires.
● Set the cabochon inside the frame and mark where both of the top corners land. Just below these marks, wrap 5 times around both sets of the 3 base wire posts with 26 gauge wire.
● Trim & tuck on the inside of the frame.
● Repeat with other 3 frame wires
Step 8:
FInishing the Frame and Bail
● At the top post marks where you wrapped, hold each set of 3 wires with the small pegs of the stepped mandrel pliers and create a rounded corner. Make sure the post wires stay same-side as their partners.
● Mark the approximate center of the post wires.
● Use flat chain nose pliers to hold the frame wires outside the marks you made.
● Bend the posts into bail wires, leaving some space in the middle for the U wire posts.
● Hold the stone in the frame and make any necessary fit adjustments.
● Wrap all the center wires 5 times with a piece of scrap wire.
● Mark the approximate center of the post wires.
● Use flat chain nose pliers to hold the frame wires outside the marks you made.
● Bend the posts into bail wires, leaving some space in the middle for the U wire posts.
● Hold the stone in the frame and make any necessary fit adjustments.
● Wrap all the center wires 5 times with a piece of scrap wire.
Step 9:
Securing the Stone
● Tape the cabochon into the frame at the top.
● On the back first, use flat chain nose pliers at the bottom of the frame to bend the outermost frame wire in toward the center. Do this on both sides.
● On the front, repeat the back frame process to secure the stone at the bottom.
● On the back first, use flat chain nose pliers at the bottom of the frame to bend the outermost frame wire in toward the center. Do this on both sides.
● On the front, repeat the back frame process to secure the stone at the bottom.
Step 10
Remove the tape and the scrap wire. This is when to make any additional frame fitting adjustments, before securing the bail post wires and finishing.
● Bring the front-most frame wires toward the front-center of the stone and slightly increase their angle. This finishes securing the top-front of the stone.
● Bring the back-most frame wires toward the back-center of the stone and slightly increase their angle. This finishes securing the top-back of the stone.
● Wrap 3 of the same-side bail post with 26 gauge wire, 3 times.
● Wrap the U wire posts together 3 times with the same wire.
● Wrap the last 3 same-side bail posts with the same wire.
● Bring the front-most frame wires toward the front-center of the stone and slightly increase their angle. This finishes securing the top-front of the stone.
● Bring the back-most frame wires toward the back-center of the stone and slightly increase their angle. This finishes securing the top-back of the stone.
● Wrap 3 of the same-side bail post with 26 gauge wire, 3 times.
● Wrap the U wire posts together 3 times with the same wire.
● Wrap the last 3 same-side bail posts with the same wire.
Step 11:
Wrapping the Bail.
*Note: move the non-bail wires out away from the bail posts.
● Using the same wire, figure 8 weave 5 times around the 2 back bail posts only.
● Wrap the U wire posts twice in between the first set of figure 8 weaves and the second set.
● Continue figure 8 weaving in this pattern for about 1 inch (approx 5 repetitions) or longer if you prefer a larger bail.
● Trim the wrapping wire to about 3 inches.
● Using the same wire, figure 8 weave 5 times around the 2 back bail posts only.
● Wrap the U wire posts twice in between the first set of figure 8 weaves and the second set.
● Continue figure 8 weaving in this pattern for about 1 inch (approx 5 repetitions) or longer if you prefer a larger bail.
● Trim the wrapping wire to about 3 inches.
Step 12:
Closing the Bail.
● Trim the center post wires to about ½ inch.
● Trim the front post wires to about ⅜ inch.
● Use chain nose pliers to spiral the front 2 accent wires away from the bail toward the outside and bottom of the pendant. Tuck against the U wire posts.
● Gently bend the wrapped bail toward the front of the pendant.
● Use stepped mandrel pliers to bend the bail post toward the back of the pendant.
● Bend the bail post wires away from the bail and finish closing the bail so that the post wires sit flush on the back of the stone.
● Trim the front post wires to about ⅜ inch.
● Use chain nose pliers to spiral the front 2 accent wires away from the bail toward the outside and bottom of the pendant. Tuck against the U wire posts.
● Gently bend the wrapped bail toward the front of the pendant.
● Use stepped mandrel pliers to bend the bail post toward the back of the pendant.
● Bend the bail post wires away from the bail and finish closing the bail so that the post wires sit flush on the back of the stone.
Step 13:
Attaching the Bail
● Using the 26 gauge wrapping wire from the bail, thread the end through the top frame wire and wrap twice.
● Wrap twice around the outermost bail post wire.
● Thread the wire underneath the bail post wires to the other side.
● Thread the wrapping wire twice around the top frame wire on the other side.
● Wrap twice around the outermost bail post wire on this side.
● Thread once more underneath the bail post wires and wrap the frame post wires twice.
● Trim this wire.
● Wrap twice around the outermost bail post wire.
● Thread the wire underneath the bail post wires to the other side.
● Thread the wrapping wire twice around the top frame wire on the other side.
● Wrap twice around the outermost bail post wire on this side.
● Thread once more underneath the bail post wires and wrap the frame post wires twice.
● Trim this wire.
Step 14:
Finishing Up
● Bend the outermost bail posts away from the bail and trim to about ½ inch.
● Using chain nose pliers, curl each prong upwards toward the bail and center of the stone.
● Trim the center bail prongs to about ½ inch.
● Use chain nose pliers to curl these prongs in the same directions as the outside prongs, but tuck them up underneath the outside prong spirals.
● Curl each side prong downward and toward the back of the pendant. Tuck them tightly with a good squeeze from your flat chain nose pliers.
● Patina and polish as desired.
● Using chain nose pliers, curl each prong upwards toward the bail and center of the stone.
● Trim the center bail prongs to about ½ inch.
● Use chain nose pliers to curl these prongs in the same directions as the outside prongs, but tuck them up underneath the outside prong spirals.
● Curl each side prong downward and toward the back of the pendant. Tuck them tightly with a good squeeze from your flat chain nose pliers.
● Patina and polish as desired.
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