Krystal's Choice

Skill Level: Advanced Beginner/Intermediate

Technique: Technique - Round Wire/Pendant

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

• 1 8" length 18-gauge round dead soft Argentium Wire
• 1 5.5mm round, white, large hole freshwater pearl
• 1 58 x 45mm blister leaf
• 1 40mm abalone flower
• 3 short scrap lengths of 14kt gold filled chain

Tools

• Round Nose Pliers
• Chain Nose Pliers
• Flat Nose Pliers
• Wire Cutters
• Ruler

Instructions

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).
   
   

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.
   
   

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

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.
   
   

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

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

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.
   
   
   

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.
   
   
   

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

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