Using Jewelry Wire to Wrap an Irregular Stone Jewelry Making Technique -- Page 3

Step 6:  Now bend the 3-4 inch wire segment of wire in the middle of the spiral down so that it is flat against the spiral as shown at right.  Ideally, the shorter 3-4" segment should be perpendicular to the longer wire segment at the end of the spiral. 

Step 7:  Position the spiral at the bottom of your irregular stone.  Position the 3-4" segment of wire on the back of the stone.  The back side is the side that would be worn toward the wearer's body.  Using your fingers, bend the 3-4" segment of wire so that it follows the shape of the back of the stone.  While holding the 3-4" segment of wire against the stone, wrap the longer segment of wire from the end of the spiral around the stone several times as shown at left.  Wrap the wire as tightly as you can using your fingers.  (Please note that we have used practice wire and a practice stone here.  Hopefully, your stone will be nicer than this one.)

Step 8:  To complete the wrap and make the wire component permanent you need to wrap the end of the long wire segment around the shorter 3-4" wire segment at least two times at the top of the stone.  See the picture at right for how the back of the stone would appear, with the wire wrapped at the top.  Cut the excess wire when you have completed two wraps and using bent chain nose pliers, squeeze the cut wire tail flat. 

Step 9:  Now we need to make a loop at the top of the stone.  This loop needs to be large enough to accommodate the necklace we plan on using with the pendant, or at least the chain for the necklace.  Sometimes, the clasp of the necklace will be too large to pass through the loop we make.  In that case you will need to begin making the loop and then add it to the chain of the necklace, before wrapping the loop closed.  To begin making the loop grasp the wire immediately above the stone with your bent chain nose pliers and bend the wire 90 degrees as shown above-left.