Nest Building - The Making of a Wire-Wrapped Bird's Nest Pendant

They may look a bit complicated to make, but these bird's nest pendants, made from natural stone and shell beads and pure copper wire, are simple to make with a bit of patience and attention to detail.

I start with about three and a half feet of round 22 gauge 99.9% pure, untreated copper wire and three "eggs." I end up using closer to six feet of wire before I'm finished, but it's easier to work with the shorter lengths and to just weave them together as part of the nest.

Creation of the nest begins at its center by stringing the beads together toward the end of the wire and then bending them into a tight triangle. Before making the triangle, though, first I make sure there is enough wire for the pendant's bail (the top loop of the pendant for the necklace cord or chain). Depending on the style of the bail I have in mind, I usually need about four inches, doubled over, to ensure the bail is strong and sturdy.

Next, it's time to start weaving the nest.

One of the things I like about making these is that it doesn't matter if it's a bit messy. Many birds make messy nests, so my focus stays on ensuring the nest is tightly woven and won't fall apart over time. It's kind of like sewing or embroidering with wire, you might say, but without any straight lines.

Once I've got a good start on the nest, I pause to finish the bail. I add some 22 gauge 1/2-round copper wire for decoration and strength, then use the bail-making pliers to form the loop of the bail, tying the ends into the backside of the nest so they fit in, obscured further when I finish weaving and wrapping the pendant with more wire.

Once I come to the end of the first three feet of wire, I take a look at the nest to estimate how much more wire I'll need to make the nest look full and even. I usually need at least another two feet of wire, but often will use about another three feet. So, every bird's nest pendant is made with at least 5-6 feet of pure copper wire.

In addition to the lavender jasper featured in this post, I have numerous colors of round "eggs" in stock, including (dyed) red howlite, a gleaming yellow river shell, dark green Tiger's Eye, Rhodonite, green Aventurine, varying shades of blue jasper, multiple colors of jade, orange (and black) agate, and grayscale picture jasper. I also have two colors of natural, oval-shaped cultured pearl "eggs": light pink and pale lavender.

For more information and photos of in-stock bird nest pendants, check out my shopping page on Shop | Stone Maven Handcrafted Jewelry (stonemavenjewelry.com).

If I don't already have the type of nest you want listed, just send me a message through the contact page on StoneMavenJewelry.com, or send me an email at ameslp@live.com. There is no extra fee or cost for custom bird nest pendant orders.