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View Full Version : Wire wrapping a labradorite pebble?



AliMac
15-12-2009, 02:04 PM
Hi there. I've just acquired some labradorite stones, both oval flat pebble shapes. They are about 5 cm by 3 cm wide, and up to 1 cm thick. The nicest one has a more or less flat face but the back is quite rounded. My original plan was to use them as pendants, possibly hanging them on a chain maille necklace.

I'm not the greatest fan of the wire-wrapped 'look' (I find some of it a bit fussy) but it seems like a bezel wouldn't really work in this case. Can anyone point me in the direction of interesting wire wrapping (or an elegant solution??). I'm wondering about caging them somehow (actually I'm worried about making a dog's breakfast of the whole thing but that's another story!

bustagasket
15-12-2009, 02:31 PM
I wish i was that knowledgable Ali sorry :(

Gemma
15-12-2009, 02:49 PM
You could bead around the pebble like in this (http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mnartists.org/uploads/users/user_9446/03eea61fadf719846a8117330ec01f3a/03eea61fadf719846a8117330ec01f3a.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.mnartists.org/work.do%3Frid%3D159660&h=573&w=600&sz=77&tbnid=TcudpFHOIACgoM:&tbnh=129&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbeaded%2Bcabochon&hl=en&usg=__yqbnQnBRcslrTSPjma8tLr7NWdE=&ei=bK8nS7jBCNOB4Qa6lMGcDQ&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=3&ct=image&ved=0CBQQ9QEwAg) example

Found a tutorial on wire wrapping here (http://jewelrymaking.craftgossip.com/wire-wrapping-a-cab-pendant-tutorial/2008/06/18/)

AliMac
15-12-2009, 03:31 PM
I got all excited there :xmas-):

mizgeorge
15-12-2009, 03:31 PM
I'm also not a fan of the typical wrapped look (a la Preston Reuther). I think it's one of those styles that hasn't crossed the Atlantic very well somehow!

Could you get away with making just a frame from thin sheet (like making a bezel setting but without the back) that could be rubbed over on both sides with a bail fitting?

If you want to go down the wire route, I'd recommend making a strip of between four and seven lengths of 1mm square wire. bind in a couple of places along the length (ideally with finer square wire - 0.6mm works well) and wrap round the outside of the stone. Bend the two ends upwards at the join and secure with another small wrap. Then it's simply a case of pushing the outermost wire in towards the centre of the stone a little to hold it in place.

Have you got a picture of the stones?

AliMac
15-12-2009, 03:57 PM
Thanks for that. I haven't worked out how to post photos yet, may try tomorrow. I was actually thinking about making a frame of some kind for the chunkier stone, especially as it has lovely flashes of colour on both sides.