Wire Wrap the Perfect Frame

for Your StoneShape a delicate framework pendant

around a gemstone briolette.by Erin Paton

PROJECTADVANCED | WIREWORK

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©2011 Kalmbach Publishing Co. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher.

The wires connecting a top-drilled topaz briolette to the pendant are well hidden, tucking neatly under the top spiral embellishment.

1st setof loops

2ndspiral

1st spiral 5th spiral

FrameLower segmentUpper segment

4thspiral

2nd setof loops

Top spiral

47 mm(1 7⁄8 in.)

31 mm(1 3⁄16 in.)

1st setof loops

2ndspiral

1st spiral 5th spiral

FrameLower segmentUpper segment

4thspiral

2nd setof loops

Top spiral

47 mm(1 7⁄8 in.)

31 mm(1 3⁄16 in.)

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The key to creating wirework that truly flows

is to be meticulous about where you position

support wires, connections, and trimmed wire

ends. Thoughtless placement of even one wrapped

connection can detract from the look or ruin it entirely.

Be mindful to position utilitarian, often less-than-attrac-

tive parts at the back of your piece or under other,

prettier components. For instance, I designed my

pendant so that all the bridge wires that connect the

spirals and swirls face the back of the pendant; this

creates a continuous visual line. I also nestled my brio-

lette up under a decorative spiral so that the connecting

wires are hidden, avoiding a messy look. Keep these

guidelines in mind when you design your own wirework,

and you’ll have people marvelling at how you can create

such fluid pieces.

Form the outer frame. Using wire cutters, cut a 21 cm (81⁄4-in.) piece of 20-gauge (0.8 mm) wire; this will be the frame. Using roundnose pliers, make a 4 mm (5 ⁄32-in.) loop at one end of the wire; this loop will be the bail.

Using flatnose pliers, grasp the loop. Position the loop’s opening away from you, and bend the wire tail 45° to the left. Using a fine-tip marker, mark the wire 55 mm (21⁄8 in.) from the base of the loop.

Center the mark on a ring mandrel at size 15 U.S. Use your fingers to bend both ends of the wire around the mandrel [1] to form a teardrop shape approximately 43 mm (111⁄16 in.) long. Do not trim the tail.

Form the inner frame. Mark the wire tail where it overlaps the base of the bail loop. Using flatnose pliers, grip the wire at this mark, and bend the wire until the tail is laying inside the outer frame. Mark the wire 37 mm (17⁄16 in.) from this bend.

Center the mark on a ring mandrel at size 2 U.S. Bend the wire to make a smaller,

matching inner frame teardrop approxi-mately 30 mm (13 ⁄16 in.) long [2].

Trim the wire tail 4 mm (5 ⁄32 in.) beyond the point where it meets the top bend. Using roundnose pliers, make a 2 mm (5 ⁄64-in.) counterclockwise loop [3]; this loop should rest within the crook of the top bend.

Stabilize the frame. Cut a 20 cm (8-in.) piece of 28-gauge (0.32 mm) wrapping wire; you’ll be using this gauge to wrap throughout the project. Starting at the top of the bail loop and leaving a tail, wrap around the front of the bail loop until you reach the base of the bail loop [4a]. Then make three wraps on the left side to attach the inner and outer frames [4b].

Wrap once around the inner frame only. Then make two wraps to attach the inner frame and the loop. Thread the wire through the loop, and make two wraps on the right side to attach the loop and outer frame [4c].

Continue to wrap the frame, heading

Part 1: Teardrop frame

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Template

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7 8upward until you reach the bail loop [5]. Position the wire tails at the back of the piece, and use flush cutters to trim them. Use bentnose or chainnose pliers to flatten them into the wraps.

Shape the frame. To slightly adjust the curvature of the outer frame, hold it vertically and gently press it onto a flat surface [6]. Use nylon-jaw pliers to adjust the base of the inner frame to mimic the shape of the outer frame. Lay your frame on the Template, page 55, and adjust the frame until you’re satisfied with its shape.

Hammer the frame. Place the frame on an anvil or bench block, and lightly hammer it with the flat side of a chasing hammer. Do not hammer the wrapped section or the bail. You want to slightly flatten and harden the wire; don’t hammer too much, or you could distort the shape.

Wrap the outer frame. Cut 50 cm (193 ⁄4 in.) of wrapping wire. Beginning at the top left, next to the stabilizing wraps, wrap the entire outer frame. At the end, leave two to three wraps’ worth of space unwrapped.

NOTE: These wraps need to be a little loose. Later you’ll wrap between these wraps, a technique I call “overwrapping.”

The overwrapping wire should disappear into the first layer of wraps, which can’t happen if the first wraps are too tight.

You’ll need another 50 cm (193 ⁄4-in.) piece of wrapping wire when the first piece runs out; see “How to Add Wrapping Wire,” page 59.

When you’re finished, position the wrapping wire at the back of the frame. Trim the wire, and flatten the tail to hide it in the wraps [7a].

Wrap the inner frame. Cut 30 cm (12 in.) of wrapping wire. Leaving a 50 mm (2-in.) tail, start wrapping at the top left of the inner frame. Wrap loosely to allow for overwrapping. Stop just before you reach the loop. Trim the tail on the right, and flatten it. Do not trim the left tail [7b].

Attach a briolette. Thread a briolette on the wrapping wire tail, and position the briolette at the top of the frame, beneath the loop. Filling in the small gaps that you left on the right side, wrap the inner and outer frames together two to three times. Trim the tail and flatten it [8].

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Consult the Template, page 55, for the following steps.

Lower segmentCreate the lower segment. Cut a 15 cm (6-in.) piece of 22-gauge (0.6 mm) wire. On one end of the wire, use roundnose and flatnose pliers to make a spiral that has four full rotations. Make a matching spiral on the other end, rotating the spiral in the opposite direction.

Place the lower segment in the bottom center of the frame, and shape and adjust the segment until it fits snugly inside [1]. Remove the segment, and lightly hammer it on a bench block with a planishing hammer to harden it.

Upper segmentMake the first spiral. Cut a 50 cm (193 ⁄4-in.) piece of 22-gauge (0.6 mm) wire. On one end, make a spiral that has four full rotations. Make the second spiral. Mark the wire 4 mm (5 ⁄32 in.) from the end of the first spiral; this will provide enough length for a bridge between the spirals. Using the tips of your roundnose pliers, grip the wire at the mark, and make one full rotation opposite the first spiral [2].

Reposition the pliers (or remove them) and, using your fingers, continue to wrap the tail twice more around the loop, creating a spiral that has three full rotations. Leave a small gap between this last rotation and the previous one so that later you will have room to attach the spirals to the frame.

NOTE: Periodically test-fit the segment within the frame [3] to make sure that it fits within and fills the frame without extending past the edges.

Make the first set of loops. Mark the wire 3 mm (1⁄8 in.) from the end of the

Part 2: Spiral embellishment segments

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second spiral. Making sure that the bridge is on the back of your new rotation, grip the wire at the mark with the tips of your roundnose pliers, and make one full rotation opposite the previous spiral [4]. This is the first loop.

Repeat this step three times, each time rotating opposite the previous loop. Make these second, third, and fourth loops slightly smaller than the first loop [5].

Make the top spiral. The top spiral will overlap the frame and hide the join, the top loop, and the tip of the briolette.

Mark the wire 3 mm (1⁄8 in.) from the end of the fourth loop. Making sure that the bridge is on the back of your new rotation and rotating in the direction opposite the fourth loop, make a spiral that has two full rotations.

Position the upper segment within the frame, and adjust the spirals so that the top spiral covers the frame join. The tail should extend down along the other side of the frame [6].

Make the second set of loops. You’ll make the right side of the upper segment to mirror the left side, so you’ll rotate each loop and spiral in the opposite direction of its mate on the left side. Make sure the bridges between loops and spirals are at the back of the segment.

To begin, mark the wire 3 mm (1⁄8 in.) from the end of the top spiral. Make three small loops, each rotating opposite the previous loop. Make the final loop slightly larger than the first three. Position the upper segment within the frame [7], and adjust the segment to fit if necessary.

Make the fourth spiral. Mark the wire 4 mm (5 ⁄32 in.) from the end of the fourth loop. Making sure that the bridge is on the back of the spiral and rotating opposite the fourth loop, make a spiral that has three full rotations.

Make the fifth spiral. Measure the wire 60 mm (23 ⁄8 in.) from the end of the previous spiral, and cut the wire.

Grip the end of the wire with the tips of your roundnose pliers, and make a loop. Spiral the wire around this loop, rotating opposite the previous spiral, until you have a spiral that has four full rotations.

Shape the segments. Place the upper and lower segments in the frame. Adjust both pieces until they fit. Once you’re satisfied with the shape, place the upper segment on an anvil or bench block, and hammer it lightly with a rubber mallet. Do not use any other type of hammer; you could thin and weaken the bridges.

58 Art Jewelry ■ March 2011

Lower segmentAttach the bottom of the lower seg-ment. Using a marker, mark the midpoints of the lower segment and the bottom of the outer frame.

Cut 15 cm (6 in.) of wrapping wire. Leav- ing a 50 mm (2-in.) tail, make five wraps around the lower segment at the mark. If necessary, slide the wraps so that the wrapping wire is next to the midpoint [1].

Slide a 2.5 mm bead onto the wrapping wire, and position the bead between the two spirals. Make five wraps around the segment to secure the bead.

Center the segment on the outer frame by matching up the midpoint marks [2].

Using each wire tail, make three overwraps around the outer frame [3a]. Trim and flatten the tails.

Attach the top of the lower segment. Cut 10 cm (4 in.) of wrapping wire. Leaving a 40 mm (11⁄2-in.) tail, make three wraps around the top of the left spiral. Slide a 2 mm bead onto the wrapping wire, and position the bead between the spirals. Make three wraps around the top of the right spiral [3b].

Using each wire tail, make two to three overwraps around the inner frame. Trim and flatten the tails.

Part 3: Assembly

The front of the pendant, left, appears so fluid because the back, right, hides all the bridge wires and connection points.

Upper segmentAttach the loops to the frame. Cut 20 cm (8 in.) of wrapping wire. Position the upper segment within the frame. On the left side, make two overwraps to connect the third loop to the inner frame [4]. Trim and flatten the tails. Repeat on the right side [5a].

On the left side, use the remaining wrapping wire to make two overwraps to connect the second loop to the outer frame. Trim and flatten the tails. Repeat on the right side [5b]. Then, repeat on each side to connect the first loops to the inner frame [5c].

Connect the bridge between the spirals to the frame. Cut 10 cm (4 in.) of wrap-ping wire. Leaving a 40 mm (11⁄2-in.) tail, make three wraps on the left side around the bridge between the first and second spirals. Slide a 2 mm bead onto the wrap- ping wire [6]. Using each wire tail, make three overwraps around the outer frame. Trim and flatten the tails. Using the remain-ing wire, repeat on the right side [7a].

Connect the upper and lower segments. Cut a 10 cm (4 in.) length of wrapping wire. Leaving a 30 mm (11⁄4-in.) tail, make three wraps around the outer left side of the lower segment.

Slide a 2.5 mm bead onto the wrapping wire, and make three wraps around the first spiral in the upper segment. Trim and flatten the tail; do not yet trim the working wire [7b].

Using the working wire, make three overwraps around the outer frame [8a]. Trim and flatten the tail. Repeat this step on the right side with another 10 cm (4 in.) of wrapping wire [8b].

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materials ■ Sterling silver wire, dead-soft:

■ 20-gauge (0.8 mm): 21 cm (81⁄4 in.) ■ 22-gauge (0.6 mm): 65 cm (251⁄2 in.) ■ 28-gauge (0.32 mm), 273 cm (9 ft.)

■ Sterling silver beads: ■ 2 mm hollow and seamless, 3 ■ 2.5 mm hollow and seamless, 3

■ 11–16 mm briolette (I used an 11 mm marquise mystic topaz)

additional tools & supplies ■ Ring mandrel: U.S. sizes ■ Bentnose pliers ■ Planishing hammer

Complete your necklace with an embellished wire hook clasp.

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how to addwrapping wireIt’s important to work with manageable lengths of wrapping wire (30–50 cm/12–193⁄4 in.); longer lengths can easily kink or tangle. This means that you may need to add wire to complete a set of wraps.

To begin a new length of wrapping wire, hold the new wire next to the previous wraps. Leaving a small tail to hold as an anchor, begin to wrap with the working end of the new wire.

Do not trim the wire tail from the newly added wire until you’ve completely finished wrapping. If the wire shifts and you find you have a small gap between the new and old wires, you can use the tail to wrap a few times to cover or fill the gap. Then you can trim the tails at the back of the piece and flatten them using bentnose or chainnose pliers.

Process photos by Erin Paton.

Connect the upper segment spirals to the inner frame. Cut 80 mm (31⁄4 in.) of wrapping wire. Leaving a 5 mm (3 ⁄16-in.) tail, make two overwraps on the left side to connect the first spiral to the inner frame. Trim the tails, overwrapping each one twice around the inner frame, and flatten them. Use the remaining wire to repeat on the right side [8c].

Finish the pendant. Use fine steel wool (0000), fine sandpaper (800–1000 grit), or polishing paper to remove any visible marks. Optionally, add a patina to bring out the detail and add depth. If you selected a porous stone, such as a pearl, for your briolette, you may need to be quite careful when applying patina; you don’t want to stain a delicate briolette.

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