Swagged Pearl Pendant

Skill Level: All

Sometimes stick pearls can put up a roadblock in your design process. Use this versatile design framework and fill it in any number of ways. Try stringing wire back and forth across the frame so it looks like an abbacus. Make scrolled wire pieces to fit in the frame and wire wrap them in place. Make a "tree of life in the center of the frame and make the lower spirals part of the "root system." Add another smaller frame to the center and weave the two together. You can let your imagination run wild with this one!

The finished pendant is 11/2" wide and 21/2" long.

Materials

• 14” of 18 gauge Dead Soft round wire
• 76” of 26 gauge Dead Soft round wire
  
• One, 20-24mm long stick pearl, long drilled
  
• One, 8mm round pearl
• Eighteen, 4mm potato pearls
• Two 6x4mm faceted rondelle beads
• One 2-3mm faceted round bead
• 8mm 18 gauge closed jump ring

Tools

• Flat, round, and chain nose pliers
  
• Flush cutter
  
• Ultra fine point Sharpie marker
  
• Ruler
  
• Bench block and chasing hammer or wire twister
  

Note: You may need to use a bead reamer for your 8mm pearl if two pieces of 26 gauge wire do not fit through the hole. You could use 28 or 30 gauge wire instead of reaming the hole larger.

Instructions

1. Straighten and cut two 2" pieces of 18 gauge round wire. Make an small open spiral on one end and a large open spiral on the other end of one piece. The finished pieces should be no less than 3/4" in length. Repeat with the other piece of wire. Shown in the photo on the right is how the two spiral pieces will be placed in relation to the pearl. If your stick pearl is longer than 24mm (the size used in the tutorial), you should cut your wires a bit longer so you can make the spiraled pieces longer.
   
   
2. Decide on a shape for the lower frame section and sketch it out. In this case, a rectangle was used. No matter what, the wire under the pearl between the two spiraled wire ends should be straight. Measure the distance between the lowest points on the spirals. In this case, it is 11/4". Divide the measurement in half-here it will be 5/8".
   
   
3. The frame needs to be a bit stiff. There are two ways to do this: A - Cut a slightly longer piece of wire than needed and twist it to make it a bit stiffer. Then cut the wire to length. B - Lightly hammer the frame after the Step 6. Straighten and cut a 6" piece of 18 gauge round wire. Note: If you change the design of this frame, you may want to add length to this piece. Meausre and mark the center. Measure out from the cener and mark on both sides, using the measurement you ended up with in Step 2. Measure out 1" on both sides from that mark and mark again.
   
   
4. Hint: If you think you might make a mistake and bend at the center mark, use a q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol to remove that mark. Make 90 degree bends at all the marks except the center mark, creating a rectangle.
   
   
   
5. Make sure that the distance between the lower two corners is the same as the upper two corners. Measure and mark the center of that distance. Make a 90 degree bend at that mark. Hint: If you cover the mark with your pliers and then bend the wire, you should still have the correct distance measurement between the two corners when you are done. Trim tails even. They should be about 5/8" long. Cut them longer for a larger lower spiral.
   
6. Make a small tight open spiral on each short wire end. Do not tighten them down to the frame just yet as you need to leave room to wrap the frame. Now is the time to lightly hammer the frame if you did not twist the wire in Step 3.
   
   
7. Now it is time to put all the pieces together. Straighten and cut a 12" piece of 26 gauge round wire. Bend the wire in half. Slide the closed jump ring onto the wire, down to the bend. Wrap the jump ring with the 26 gauge wire 13-14 times, working out from the bend in the wire. From the other side of the bend in the 26 gauge wire and working outward, wrap the jump ring the same number of times. Connect the wrapped jump ring to the small end of the spiral pieces using 4 wraps. Finish by wrapping around just the scroll pieces twice. Trim the wire tails. Press the cut ends down so they will not snag on clothing.
   .
   
8. Straighten and cut a 44" piece of 26 gauge round wire. Center the stick pearl on thewire. Hint: Bend the wire down on one side of the pearl to hold it in place when you first start. Connect the pearl to the lower larger scroll, working outward, wrapping an equal number of times on both sides. Keep checking to make sure your wraps do not go beyond the width of the corners of the frame.
   
   
9. Place the wrapped pearl section on the frame. Connect the two ends of the pearl section to the frame, wrapping both sides of the frame several times to hold the pieces together.
   
   
10. Continue wrapping the sides and bottom of the frame, ending at the lower center spirals. Trim the wire off on one side only. Press the cut end down so it will not snag on clothing. Use the other wire end to connect the two lower spirals with 4 or 5 wraps. Trim the wire end off on the back and press the end down.
    
    
    
11. For the first bead swag, straighten and cut a 5" piece of 26 gauge wire. Secure one end of the wire to the scroll and frame by wrapping around both 3 to 4 times. Trim the wire end off on the back of the pendant and press the end down. Slide four 4mm pearls, one 6x4mm faceted rondelle bead, and then four more pearls on the wrap wire. Secure the wire end to the scroll and frame by wrapping around both 3 to 4 times. Trim the wire end off on the back of the pendant and press the end down.
    
12. Straighten and cut a 10" pieces of 26 gauge round wire. Secure one end of the wire to the scroll and frame by wrapping both 3 to 4 times. Wrap the long wire end from the spiral down the frame, keeping the wraps close together, until a 4mm pearl slid on the wire sits next to the pearls in the first swag.
    
    
13. Slide five 4mm pearls, one 6x4mm faceted rondelle bead, and then five more pearls on the wrap wire. Secure the wire end to the frame by wrapping up the frame, keeping the wraps close together, until you reach the corner. Wrap the wire tail around the scroll and frame by wrapping both 3 to 4 times. Trim the wire end off on the back and press the end down. Adjust both beaded swags.
    
14. Straighten and cut 5" of 26 gauge round wire. Center the 2-3mm faceted round bead on the wire. Bend the wires down on either side of the bead, pulling the wire ends together. Slide both wire ends through the 8mm pearl. Push the pearl down tightly against the bead. Note: You may need to use a bead reamer for your 8mm pearl if two ends of the 26 gauge wire do not fit through the hole. You could use 28 or 30 gauge wire instead.
    
15. Spread the wires apart. Wrap one wire around one of the lower frame spirals, from the center outward, and the other wire around the other spiral, from the center outward. Trim the wire tails. Press the cut ends down so they will not snag on clothing.
    
    
    Congratulations! You've made your first Swagged Pearl Pendant
    
    
    

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