Wrapping A Cabochon
Wrapping a cabochon (cab) takes time and patience but the end result is worth the effort. For your first attempt, I advise taking a class or walking through the steps with an experienced wrapper, but will outline the general steps for your reference.
Level: Challenging
Materials
Cabochon
21g half hard square wire
20g half hard or dead soft half round wire
Quilter's tape (removes easily and leaves little to no sticky residue)
Tips: Be sure that the square wire is square at all times, and does not twist so that it looks like a diamond. You can determine the domed side of half-round wire can by looking at the end of the wire, feeling the shape, or by looking at the surface of the wire. The flat side will be more dull than the domed side.
Cut a piece of tape that will go around the circumference of your cabochon. Measure the tape and add 4" to the total length. Cut one piece of square wire this length.
Determine the number of wires you will need to wrap around your cab, based on the thickness of the cab. You will want at least three wires, and for a thicker cab, you may want more. Cut additional lengths of square wire that are the same length as the first one.
Straighten wire lengths using a polishing cloth. Lay all lengths of square wire side-by-side on your work surface so they are flush together, and lie flat. Using the quilter's tape, tape the ends of all square wires together. You will now have "one" length of wire that will wrap around your cab plus 4" extra, with both ends tapes securely together.
Cut approximately 18" of the half round wire. Based on the design of your cab, determine how many wraps you will place on the wire. It's advisable (but not necessary!) to have a wrap at the base of your cab, opposite the bail.
Using a flat-nosed pliers, make a small U shape in the end of the half-round wire, bending it toward the flat side. Hook the U over the combined lengths of square wire, and tightly wrap the half-round (domed side out) around the square wire at least three times, crimping the half-round wire to tighten and stabilize it after each wrap. When you have completed one series of wraps, clip the half-round wire on the same side as you started it.
Repeat for all wraps that you want to place around the cab. Remember you must wrap at least three times or the wrap will come undone. Keep in mind that you need to start the wraps and end them all on the same side to create the "inside" of your wrap.
Using your fingers, shape the wrapped square wire around your cab to create a frame. Be sure the side with the clipped ends of half-round wire are on the inside! You will have 2" on either side that will be excess — bend these up (using a flat-nosed pliers) at a 90 degree angle from the cab surface. The two lengths of wire that bend up cannot cross — they must end up being flush to each other and sticking straight up from the top of your cab.
Carefully tape these two ends together and remove the cab. About 1.5cm up from the base of the excess wire, wrap all square wire together using the method outlined above, but DO NOT CLIP the end of the wrap, leave it long so you can complete the wrap after the bail is created. You can use square wire or half-round, I have used both and prefer the less-bulky half-round.
After you have secured the wire, remove all tape. Bend all but the back-most two wires down at the point where the wrap starts, they will look a little like spider legs or a pinwheel. Using a round object (round nosed pliers, bail pliers, stepped pliers, small mandrel) wrap the back-most two wires (still sticking up) around the round object toward you to create a loop. The ends of the wires should extend behind the bail stem. Bring them down slightly so the can be wrapped into the bail stem. Finish wrapping the bail stem, and clip the excess wrap wire.
Using your pliers and fingers, begin pulling the wire that will wrap around your cab slightly out from the other wires and in toward the center of the cab frame. Twist the wire into shapes using the pliers, the idea is to create wire "shelves" that will hold the cab in the frame. Pop the cab into the frame, and repeat for the other side. Be careful not to scratch the surface of your cab with your pliers while you are working!
The extra wire that was left over from the bail stem can be used to create decorative swirls, loops or other shapes around the bail area, or it can be neatly clipped.
