How to Wire Wrap Irregular Stones

One day my Granny handed me this little tumbled stone that a friend of hers had given her and knowing I made jewelry, asked me if I could turn it into a pendant for her. In the jewelry making world we can be quite obsessed with symmetry and only using the most perfectly round stones (I know I am!). Anyways my Granny's request made me realize that wonky stones deserve some love too!

In this Instructable I will show you:

• How to choose a good stone to wire wrap.
• The basics of wire-wrapping.
• How to make a pendant that's completely unique to you.

Let's get started!

You Will Need:

• A stone: I'm using a tumbled gemstone I got in a rock shop but any stone or even Sea Glass will work great for this project.
• Wire: I'm using 20 gauge square wire (can be round) 26 gauge and 28 gauge wire. (The higher the number the thinner the wire so you can use your judgement on what gauge you want to use)
• Pliers: Round nosed (optional) flat nosed and snips.
• A ruler
• Cloth (to help straighten your wire)

I'm a firm believer that you can wrap any stone but I do use a few criteria to make it just a tad bit easier:

1. You want a stone that has a good thickness to it.
2. It helps if your stone is at least semi flat at the back.
3. I also find it easier if your stone is somewhat triangular in shape or has something of a point. (But flat or rounded will work great too!)
4. I tend to avoid slender stones (pic.3)
5. I chose this gemstone (pic.4) and I have zero clue what type it is (please let me know in the comments if you do!)

I recommend using a cloth or tissue or even your sleeve throughout this project to help keep your wire straight.

1. Cut and measure out 3 lengths of your thickest wire (20 gauge) measuring 10 inches (25.5cm) each.
2. Remember it's always better to cut too much wire than not enough!

Use your flat nosed pliers during this step to push your wrapping back in line.

To start wrapping grab your 26 gauge wire:

1. Keeping it on the spool, start wrapping it 3 or 4 times around one piece of your thick wire (near the center)
2. Grab your other two pieces of wire and stack them on top.
3. Wrap twice around all three pieces of wire (Pic 3).
4. Wrap 3 times again around the piece of wire you started with.
5. Repeat twice more.
6. Cut off the excess and use your pliers to push in the pointy bits.

Using your pliers make a bend in the middle of your wire-wrapping using your perfectly imperfect stone as a reference

1. Bend your wire around your stone (Remember wonkiness is character!)
2. Decide how tall you want your pendant to be and "dent" the wire (Pic. 3) at your chosen length.

More wire-wrapping, yay! (This part was the hardest to photograph)

1. Turn your project around and attach your 28 gauge wire to the back of your pendant on the left hand side (Pic.1), wrapping it around 8-10 times.
2. Wrap together all 4 wires at the back of your pendant leaving the front 2 untouched. Wrap tightly 8 times to make sure its super secure.
3. Turning around your project again wrap the wire about 8 times on the opposite side of where you first attached it. (Notes on Pic.3)
4. On the back two wires repeat Wire-Wrapping Part 1 making a long row of wrapping. (I did 16 sets of wrapping, see notes on Pic.4)

That was the hard part and it is blissfully over!

Turn your project facing front again and create a loop with the wire-wrapping you just painstakingly created (I'm dramatic)

1. Manipulate your wire into a loop like shape (You can use a round nosed pliers in this step if you so wish).
2. Bend your wire through the middle of your project (Pic.3).
3. Wrap each piece around to the back and snip it off again pushing in any pointy bits.

Make a little decorative heart at the front of your pendant crisscrossing the wire and tying off at the back like in Step 6.

Turn around your project (again I know)

• Grab your flat nosed pliers and make two little indents at the back. (This is to keep your stone from falling out).

Turn around your project again (...sorry)

• Press in your stone making sure the fit is tight, pressing the wire around it if you have to.

Crisscross!

1. Crisscross your last piece of wire over your stone incasing it.
2. Wrap each wire around the back like before and snip off the excess again (and push in the pointy bits!)

Yay!! You're finished!!!

Go forth and find some more wonky stones!!!