Cobra Head Bail Pendant Tutorial

Finally! After way too much time procrastinating I have finally completed the Cobra Head Bail Pendant Tutorial.

In this lesson I will teach you how to make a pendant with a bail that resembles the head of a cobra. This design works well on many types of focal beads, but it looks particularly striking on crystal prisms.

The instructions show a version with a very simple weave for the front piece of the bail. However, if you prefer, you can use different weaves for the front piece to create different looks for each pendant you make. You can even twist the wire instead of weaving, or simply add beads to the weave. Because of the layering effect of the bail, this design also works well if you are going for a mixed metal look.

The prism used in this lesson is 11mm wide and 38mm long. You can use other sizes, but if you use a larger focal, you will need to start with more wire to compensate for the size. The photos show a focal that is drilled from side to side, however, it is easy to modify this design for a front drilled focal as well.

You can find this tutorial on my web-site, http://www.WireJewelryTutorials.com

All of the pendants below are variations of the base design used in the tutorial. Once you master the basic construction of the bail, it becomes easy to see how to add it to other shapes of pendants. Including border wraps around cabochons and un-drilled crystal points. The only limit to the use of this design is your own imagination.