Wire-Wrapping Square Cabochon Tutorials

Greetings my lovely wire-wrappers!

Are you looking for a new frame to hold your precious square cabochon?

Well, I have made an Intermediate Level Wire-Wrapping Square Cabochon Pendant Tutorial just for you!

What I love about this piece is the bail weaving. It brings a texture POP to the pendant.

Good news – you will be able to make this piece too! 

Just follow my step-by-step tutorial here!

Happy wrapping!

LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

MATERIALS + TOOLS

• Square Shape Stone
• Red Copper Wire (12 Gauge): Length (12″)
• Brown Copper Wire (22 Gauge)
• Wire Cutter (Big + Small)
• Nylon jaw pliers
• Round Nose Plier
• Bent Nose Plier
• Diamond Needle Files Flat
• Diamond Needle Files V shape
• Finest Steel Wire Wool (Optional)
• Pen / Marker Pen

 

 

 

WIRE-WRAPPING SQUARE CABOCHON TUTORIALS 

Step 1 of 12 – WIRE FRAMING

Firstly, measure the size of your square cabochon stone (fig. 1a).

Then, cut a length of 12-gauge red copper wire that is 12 inches long (fig. 1b).

Use a nylon jaw pliers to straighten out the copper wire’s middle part (fig. 1c, 1d).

Next, place the stone on the wire and mark its width for framing purposes (fig. 1e, 1f, 1g).

Start the framing process by making a 90-degree bend on the wire markings with a bent nose pliers (fig. 1h, 1i, 1j, 1k).

Repeat the process until your square cabochon stone is framed on all sides (fig. 1l, 1m, 1n, 1o, 1p, 1q, 1r).

Step 2 of 12 – WIRE FRAMING 

 

 

Secondly, continue to make 2 extra 90-degree bends on both end of the 12-gauge wire around the stone (fig. 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h).

At last, the free ends of the wire should be on top of the stone (fig. 2i).

Step 3 of 12 – WIRE FRAMING

Thirdly, mark the midpoint on the top wire for the pendant bail (fig. 3a).

Make a 90-degree bend upwards on the markings (fig. 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e).

Checkpoint: Your frame should look something like this (fig. 3f, 3g).

Step 4 of 12 – FRAME COILING

Fourthly, use a new length of 22-gauge copper wire for frame coiling (fig. 4a).

Start on the bottom left corner of the wire frame and wrap towards top left corner (fig. 4b, 4c).

Use nylon jaw pliers to make tight coils on the frame (fig. 4d, 4e).

Step 5 of 12 – VINE STRUCTURING

Cut a new length of 12-gauge red copper wire that is 6 inches long (fig. 5a).

Use a flat diamond needle file to smoothen the sharp wire ends (fig. 5b, 5c).

Start a simple vine design using a round nose pliers and flatten it with a nylon jaw pliers (fig. 5d, 5e, 5f, 5g).

Then, position the vine on bottom left corner as shown (fig. 5h).

Keep 2 inches of the copper wire and cut off the extra (fig. 5i).

Repeat the process for the second vine (fig. 5j, 5k, 5l, 5m, 5n).

Step 6 of 12 – VINE ANCHORING

On the bottom left corner, take the 22-gauge copper wire and wrap it in between the frame (fig. 6a, 6b).

Then, make 3 wraps on center of the first vine (fig. 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f, 6g, 6h, 6i, 6j) and anchor it on the frame (fig. 6k, 6l).

After that, make a few more wraps on the frame and cut off the excess wire  (fig. 6m, 6n, 6o).

Step 7 of 12 – VINE ANCHORING

Similar to Step 6, make a wrap in between the wire frame with the 22-gauge wire on the top left corner (fig. 7a, 7b, 7c).

Place the second vine in position and wrap 3 coils in the center of the vine (fig. 7d, 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h, 7i).

After that, anchor the vine by wrapping on the wire frame (fig. 7j, 7k).

Step 8 of 12 – FRAME COILING WITH DESIGN

 

 

Continue wrapping the 22-gauge wire from Step 7 toward the bail edge (fig. 8a, 8b).

Then, pull the wire downwards to the bottom frame (fig. 8c).

Here is the tricky part, pay attention!

Make one loop at the bottom frame as shown (fig. 8d, 8e, 8f, 8g, 8h, 8i).

Then, make one loop on the right side of the bail edge at the top frame (fig. 8j, 8k, 8l, 8m).

Make a second loop on the bottom frame (fig. 8n, 8o, 8p).

And finish it off with a second loop on the top frame (fig. 8q, 8r, 8s).

Step 9 of 12 – FRAME COILING

Proceed to wrap the whole right side of the wire frame (fig. 9a, 9b, 9c).

If you run out of 22-gauge copper wire, start with a new length (fig. 9d).

To keep the wire tidy, wrap 3 starting coils then cut off the excess wire (fig. 9e). 

Tip: Make sure the trimmed wire are tugged behind the frame so it won’t get caught on surfaces.

Keep going until the whole 13-gauge wire frame is wrapped fully (fig. 9f, 9g, 9h, 9i, 9j).

Step 10 of 12 – POLISHING

Use a V-shape diamond needle file to polish half of the vine decoration (fig. 10a, 10b).

Smoothen the polished surface with a finest steel wire wool (fig. 10c).

Checkpoint – Your wire-wrapping square cabochon pendant should look like this:

• Front view: (fig. 10d)
• Left view: (fig. 10e)
• Back view: (fig. 10g)
• Right view: (fig. 10h)

Step 11 of 12 – BAIL MAKING

Bend the both the wire ends downwards and trim off the excess (fig. 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11e, 11f, 11g).

Use a flat diamond needle file to smoothen the sharp wire end (fig. 11h).

Use a flat nose pliers to adjust the shape of the bail as desired (fig. 11i, 11j, 11k, 11l, 11m).

Lastly, polish the bail surface with flat diamond needle file and finest steel wire wool (fig. 11n, 11o, 11p, 11q, 11r, 11s).

Step 12 of 12 – BAIL WEAVING

The main pattern for bail weaving are as follow:

• Start with 3 small coils on the left wire (fig. 12a, 12b, 12c).
• Then, make 2 big coils on both the wire (fig. 12d, 12e).
• Next, make 3 small coils on the right wire (fig. 12f, 12g, 12h, 12i, 12j, 12k).

And repeat the weaving pattern until the end of bail (fig. 12l, 12m, 12n).

Trim off excess wires with wire cutter (fig. 12o, 12p, 12q).

Checkpoint: This is how your pendant should look like at the end (fig. 12r, 12s, 12t).

For final touch, separate the wires at the back like tiny vines.

FINISHED WIRE-WRAPPING SQUARE CABOCHON PENDANT DESIGN 

 

 

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