Top Drilled Stone Pendant

by Natalie Patten

Category: Weaving
Technique(s): Wrapping, Weaving
Skill Level: Intermediate

This woven bail will work on any top-drilled stone and can be adapted for larger stones as well.
The length of the base wire will depend on the size of your stone. 8 inches of 0.8mm/ 20 gauge has been used here and the 0.4mm/26 gauge weaving wire has been kept on the reel or bobbin)

Materials

top-drilled stone pendant

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each

20 Gauge Round Half Hard .925 Sterling Silver Wire

H8-20H

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 feet
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
Price: $4.08
Gold Club Price: $3.06

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26 Gauge Round Half Hard .925 Sterling Silver Wire

H8-26H

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 5FT
Price: $4.34
Gold Club Price: $3.25

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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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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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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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Instructions

Step 1

Take the length of 0.8mm/ 20 gauge wire and fold in half

Natalie Patten's Top Drilled Stone Pendant - , Wire Weaving, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Weaving, Wire Weaving, Weaving Wire, top drilled stone woven bail

Step 2

.Using your fingers or pliers, position the ends of the wire close together to create a small bend at the top of the wire, which will become your securing loop.

Step 3

Using the 0.4mm/26 gauge wire, attach onto the bottom 0.8mm/ 20 gauge base wire, by wrapping around 3 times.

Step 4

Create a two-wire weave to wrap the two 0.8mm/ 20 gauge base wires together. This has been done by wrapping once over both base wires, bringing the weaving wire through the middle, wrapping over the top wire once, bringing the wire up over the bottom base wire and wrapping once over the bottom base wire and wrapping over both wires again.

Step 5

Trim off the tail at the start of this weave, near the loop only and secure it by tucking into place, so that there is no sharp end sticking out.

Step 6

Repeat this weave for the length that you want your bail to be (around 2cm).

Step 7

With the weaving wire still attached from your weave, continue to coil the weaving wire around the bottom base wire for approximately 1 inch in length.

Step 8

Using the uncoiled base wire bend this back and position through the hole in the top of your stone.

Step 9

Bend this uncoiled base wire up the back of the stone and position it through the loop at the top of the weave.

Step 10

Bend the weave back over the top of the stone to create the bail.

Step 11

Ensure the base wires are positioned closely to the stone.

Step 12

Bring the uncoiled based wire back over the top of the stone, next to the bail so that it runs along the front of the stone, next to the coiled base wire.

Step 13

Position both wires closely together and bend towards the side of the stone.

Step 14

Create a loop with them both, so that the coiled wire sits around the outside of the uncoiled base wire.

Step 15

Join both of the base wires together, after the decorative loop, by repeating the same two-wire weave (approximately 6 repetitions of this) .

Step 16

Bend both wires towards the side of the stone.

Step 17

Continue to use the weaving wire to coil what is now the top base wire until you almost reach the side of the stone. Then wrap both base wires twice with the weaving wire to secure.

Step 18

Continue to wrap only the top wire to finish the coil on the edge of the stone.

Step 19

Trim off the weaving wire and ensure any sharp ends are secured in place.

Step 20

Bring the coiled top wire around the back of the stone.

Step 21

Position through the loop at the back of the bail.

Step 22

Create a loop to tighten the wire against the stone.

Step 23

Secure the wire onto the bail to hold it in place.

Step 24

With the remaining uncoiled base wire at the front of the pendant, bend it in the direction of the decorative swirl.

Step 25

Cut off any excess, leaving over a cm to make into a curl. Tuck the curl into itself, so that it is positioned underneath the two wraps on both of the base wires.

Step 26

You can now add a jump ring or attach your pendant directly onto a chain.

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Natalie Patten

I'm Natalie Patten, I'm from Liverpool in the UK. I first discovered my love of wire work during lockdown and this hobby quickly spiralled into a huge passion and obsession, for wire wrapping crystal gemstones. So much so, that I changed my career working in education, to become a jewellery designer and set up my business Rock, Scissors, Paper specialising in wire wrapped, ethically sourced gemstone jewellery. I also secured my dream job designing and teaching for the UK's largest supplier of beads for jewellery making! I make lots of different jewellery designs with a variety of techniques but my absolute favourite is wire work and I feel absolutely blessed that I can spend my time creating, learning and sharing my passion with others!