Snowflake

Designed by Kathy Statton

supplies

• White stone cut into 6 kite-shaped pieces approximately 1 inch long.
• 4 pieces of 21 gauge HH square wire 3.5 inches long
• 30 inches of 21 gauge HH twisted wire
• 12 inches of 21 gauge HH half round wire
• Thin automotive tape (used for painting strips)

tools

• Round nose pliers
• Flat nose pliers
• Cutters

instructions

1. With a rough sketch of stone/shell and pearls, start work on the snowflake.


2. Start with white kite shaped stones/shells: some are howelite, one is magnetite and two are shells (use what is available). Slice and cut the stones, ground them to size, then polished them to a clean matte finish.




Grinding to shape	Polishing



3. When all 6 pieces are cut and polished; thread the pearls onto 21 gauge square silver wire with small circles on each end, to keep the pearls in place.


4. Three total strips of pearls, eight on each wire. The pearls will be loose to allow a center bead to be placed there later.


5. Then trace the pearl “snowflake” to judge the distance needed between the stones when wire wrapped.


6. Take 15 inches of 21 gauge twisted silver wire to decorate and attach three stones together. Leave about an inch of wire when starting. You should have both ends on the same side of the three stones when you are finished with the first half.


7. First take the wire around the first small point, then over the next small point. Crisscross over the top of the third stone, around the bottom point then back up to the top of the second and lastly finish the top of the stone that was the first.


8. Since the “kites” tend to squirm, tape the wire to the stones while working. This will help, but they still may move a bit. The other half of the twisted wire is used to wrap the last three stones. After which, “knit” the two groups of three together with the excess wire from each group.


9. Once all 6 stones were wired together, place the pearls between them.


10. I had originally designed a faceted stone for the middle of the snowflake, but the 8mm was too large, instead I used a 6mm Aurora Borealis Swavorski Crystal added last with half round wire.


11. Once the pearls are lying on top of the wired stones, use a series of 4inch pieces of 21 gauge half-round wire to thread 2mm Aurora Borealis Swavorski Crystal around the tops of the stones, threading the half round wire through the ends of the pearls strips and under the twisted wires across the tops of the stones. Using a 4 inch piece makes it easier to weave under the twisted wires. It may take up to 4 pieces of the half round wire. This will keep the pearl strips in place and also anchor the 2mm beads.


12. This will make a sparkling ornament for the Christmas tree, a red or green ribbon just needs to be attached.