Carnival Pendant - Wire Jewelry Tutorial

At certain angles, the pendants made in this style remind me of the tilt'a'whirl my friends and I used to ride at the fair every year when I was a kid. At other angles, for some strange reason, I just want to tie dye them. They make me remember all those times when I would burst out laughing for no reason at all, and keep laughing and laughing and laughing. For me, they evoke a feeling of sheltered innocence. The kind of freedom you feel as a child running through the county fair, looking for the next “thrill” to ride, or twirling round and round in circles until you become so dizzy you fall, laughing with glee.

This tutorial teaches you how to make a relatively simple border wrap and embellish it whimsical woven swirls. So far I have not been able to duplicate, exactly, any of the designs I have made in this style. For that reason, please do not think of this tutorial as directions that are set in stone. They are really more of a set of techniques combined in a certain way to achieve a certain type of look. These pendants can end up elegant and graceful, fun and spirited, modern and industrial, or anything in between!

 For the pendant in the photos, I am using round wire for the frame wires. You can also use square wire if you prefer. Also, if you are not able to get half round wire in your area, you can use 22g round wire that has been hammered to slightly flatten it. Just be sure to hammer it as evenly as possible all the way down the full length of the wire.

You will need to use my Basic Weaving Techniques tutorial as a reference to complete this project. You can find it here: http://www.instructables.com/id/Wire-Jewelry-Making-Basic-Weaving-Techniques/

Materials:
• 25’ of 28g Round Dead Soft Wire
• 7” of 20g Half Round Half Hard Wire
• 54” of 20g Round Dead Soft Wire
• 1 25mm round cabochon

Tools:
• Chain nose pliers
• Round nose pliers
• Wire cutters
• Flat nose pliers
• Bent nose pliers
• Ruler
• Marker
• Tape (optional)

Cut the 20g wire into 6 equal pieces (about 9” long). Separate the wires into 2 groups of 3 wires. Using the tape, wrap each group in three areas. One wrap on each end and one in the middle. Take care to be sure that the bundles, when wrapped, lay flat and no wires are crossing.

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