FLOWER PENDANT

Even though the heading on my calender confirms

it is the month of July, which usually spells the start 

of Summer ... the weather here in the U.K. seems to be 

ducking and diving between rain and clouds, 

gusty winds and just very occasionally,  I've 

spotted a golden ray of sunshine ... So, to bring some

sunrays into your visual hearts, I thought you might

like to have a stab at making a FLOWER pendant!

This Summer FLOWER PENDANT is so versatile, as it can be beaded, created with coloured wires, the petals can be woven with wire, or dipped into Dip-It Fantasy Film to be colour coated ... Just adapt this tutorial to create your own variations in all sizes and gauges of wire!

The TOOLS required are:  

Round and Flat nosed pliers,

Wire cutters and if you 

have a pair of Bailmaking

Pliers use them, otherwise,

you will need a cylindrical

mandrel - like a pen or 

chunky knitting needle.
Also, a hammer & steel block
is useful.

MATERIALS: 0.8mm

Copper wire &  0.4mm

Gold-plated wire ...

(although ANY wire will do!).

1.  Working directly from a spool of 0.8mm copper wire, use your round nosed pliers to create a small link at the very end. Place your bailmaking pliers, or cylindrical mandrel about 1" (2.5cm) from the link and bend the wire around to form the first looped petal.

Step 1 -

should look

rather like

a big sloppy

'fish hook'!

2.  Place the tips of your round nosed pliers at the same level as the top
of the small link you've just created and bend the wire back in the opposite
direction.

You are now in 
position to make 
your second petal ...

3.  Use your bail-making pliers or mandrel to shape the second petal loop
and try to keep the petals as even in size and scale as you possibly can.

4.  Continue creating more petals loops using a combination of the
mandrel and tips of your round nosed pliers, until you have 7 petals in all.
Cut the wire from the spool leaving a little tail of wire to make a link.

5.  Use your fingers to gently tease the tops of the looped petals
around into a circle to form the base of your flower shape.  Turn
the link at right angles to the rest of the frame, so that you can thread
the cut end through and link it around to secure.
Spend a little time re-adjusting the shape.

6.  If you're a hammer-head like me (think of something, or somebody
that makes you angry or frustrated !! and) 'stroke-hammer' the ends
of each petal to spread and work harden the metal.

 

7.  Cut a length of 0.4mm gold-plated (or copper) wire and begin
binding the centre of the flower with this wire.

 

8.  If you run out of wire just cut more and start threading some beads 

of your choice into the central part of the flower.

 

9.  To add more colour and detailed decoration, you can also choose 

to wire through the centre of each petal frame, creating rays of beads 

within each petal.

After lots of wiring, beading, swearing and a couple of cups of tea ... 

you could end up with something like this!

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You can also dip the flower frame in DIP-IT FANTASY FILM (available from 1stforcrafts and from Fred Aldous) to create different coloured pendants for necklace and earring designs.  Have a look at some of the pieces I have made in the past: 

**HAPPY FLOWER ARRANGING !!**

(P.S. no watering required)