There's wire wrap and then there's wire framing. While wire wrap is often a heavy-handed technique popular for turning crystals into pendants, it often hides the stone from view, making the wire stand out more than the often beautiful stone it imprisons. Wire framing, in contrast, creates a custom frame out of square and half-round wire that fits the stone and holds it in place. The stone is the main attraction -- as it should be!

Making Wire-Framed Cabochon Pendants remains, by far, my most popular class. I've taught it at gem and mineral shows in Quartzite AZ, at Gallery One in Ellensburg WA, and, of course, in my home studio before it was much of a studio. I stopped teaching it primarily because I've moved onto other techniques that involve soldering and bezel settings. But for folks who don't want to use a torch, framing a cabochon is a great alternative.

In this class, you'll start with a cabochon of your choice (or you can bring your own) and sterling silver or copper wire. With the use of hand tools, you'll create a custom pendant. I'll take you step by step through the process, creating my own pendant as you create yours. I'll have plenty of examples to show you what's possible.