Pebble Cage

Originally posted: July 2017

Are you heading off for a summer break? It could be exotic, tropical, or local...

Wherever you go, look out for pretty pebbles, sea glass, or any interesting found objects.

This is what got me into jewellery making in the first place. I just love the fact that you can turn a simple everyday object into an aesthetic heirloom piece, which has a story, or personal memory and meaning behind it!

If you can't get away to find your own treasure, you can purchase polished pebbles and sea glass online. In fact, for teaching purposes, I use a company called BAKER ROSS, which does mixed packs for children's creative activities! Alternatively, this project also works beautifully for semi-precious stones and wires!

STEP 1

Choose your 'stone' and decide which way you're going to suspend it. Then, using a piece of string, measure around it and add about 4" (10cm) to the overall length.

STEP 2

Once you have your string measurement, cut 3 pieces of 0.8mm (20-gauge) wire to that length. Spend a little time, straightening out the lengths through your fingers (or if you have them, use nylon jawed pliers, or wire straighteners).

STEP 3

Cut an arm's length of 0.4mm wire and use the end, to bind a couple of times around the centre of 2 of the 0.8mm wires.

STEP 4

Twist the wires open to separate, forming an 'X' shape and begin weaving the thin wire around the 4 projecting wires in a figure of '8' tight motion.

STEP 5

Place the third 0.8mm wire at the centre and secure that in with the rest of the unit. Keep the weave tight and close, pushing it into the centre.

STEP 6

Use up all your wire and neaten up the end. You should now have a 'spider's web' effect at the centre of your wire 'star''.

STEP 7

Place the base of your chosen stone on top of the woven area and fold all the projecting wires tightly around it.

STEP 8

Pinch the wires together at the top of the stone and using the tips of your chain nosed pliers, bend a kink at the centre top, where they meet.

STEP 9

Use one of the projecting wires to bind all the others together at the very top of the stone.

STEP 10

Keep one wire straight and central for your suspension link and bend the others at right angles in a star formation. If some are much longer than others, you can always trim them down to the same length.

STEP 11

Use your pliers to form spirals out of the side wires and flatten these around the top wrap, keeping the central stem projecting.

STEP 12

For extra decoration, you can thread a bead to the central stem wire (to sit on top of the spirals), before making a double wrapped loop with the projecting end.

STEP 13

Separate the top links out a little and now you're ready for suspending it onto a cord, chain, ribbon, key ring finding, etc ...

STEP 14

For my suede cord, I created a couple of 0.8mm wire coils and threaded these onto the ends, bringing the cord back into the wire coils to form a loop. To secure and tighten it in place, I pinched the top and base of each of the coils (like a crimp).

STEP 15

I suspended beads with decorative wire headpins from the end loops of the cord, which means the pendant can be tied and worn at variable levels, keeping the back and front decorative!

Have a go with different wires and varied shapes of stones!

It works well for irregular shapes of glass too!

Also, experiment with coloured wires to match your summer outfits!