Wire up a pendant with a Czech button

Front view of pendant

Front view of pendant

Here is a way to use Czech buttons and wire to make a pendant. You will need 18 gauge wire for the frame and 26 gauge wire to secure the button to the frame. In this example I use art wire, although you may choose to use sterling silver, 14K gold-filled, or copper wire.  Art wire (my choice) is copper wire, sometimes silver-plated depending on the color, and always coated with a nylon-based enamel to keep it from tarnishing. It is sturdy in the larger gauges, and soft enough to bend with your hands.

Directions:

  • Cut a 20″ piece of wire. Bend 5″ of the piece at a right angle.
  • Bend the longer end of the wire around the button to establish size and to create a circular loop.
  • Wrap the wire once around the neck of the 5″ piece. Make a free-form shape inside the circular loop with the rest of the wire.  Secure and trim.
  • Cover your work with a soft cloth and lightly flatten with a rawhide hammer just so the circle and the free-form part are on the same plane.
  • Make a double loop bail with the 5″ end, and wrap at two or three times at the base.  Trim or finish with a tiny decorative coil.
  • Cut a 24″ piece of 26 gauge wire in a matching color.
  • Thread it through the shank of the button every which way, wrapping around the peripheral circle and the free-form part in the inside of the circle.  Trim.
    Back view of pendant

    Back view of pendant

    Side view of pendant

    Side view of pendant

This example is kind of free form, you can be as formal or loose as you like as long as the button is securely fastened to the heavier wire frame.

Buy a button and art wire kit at my Etsy store to make a pendant:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/288900107/hot-pink-reflecting-green-gold