I usually hate getting catalogs in the mail; especially when I get one because I ordered something about 2 years ago from that company. This happened recently and I didn’t have time to look through the catalog, so I set it aside.

Did I mention that I also get e-mail notices from this company? What’s New, Overstock Items, Clearance Sales; you name it, I get an e-mail announcing it.

One particular sale caught my eye, and I broke down and ordered something. OK, a few somethings. Lo and behold in the envelope with my order was another catalog! Something told me there was a reason I got 2 of the same catalog, so I opened it up and perused all the shiny stuff. (It’s a beads and findings catalog, so there’s LOTS of shiny stuff!)

Right there on page 15 was this delightful necklace! The wheels in my head started spinning thinking about how I could modify it to make it more versatile and simple to make. The bead choices are easy enough to find so the project can be completed in short time.

Materials

2 pair- flat nose jewelry pliers

1 pair- wire cutters

1- crimping tool

Beading Wire (2 lengths cut to 28 inches each) – 49 strand, .018in diameter, silver

69- 4x7mm faceted beads; pink

69- 4x7mm faceted beads; red

At least 2 grams- size 11/0 seed beads- crystal

32- #3 twisted bugle beads; crystal

4- wire guardians- silver

4- crimp beads- silver

2- spring clasps- approx. 10mm

2- jump rings- approx. 4mm

1 pair- magnetic ball clasps

1- wire spring

 

Before Beginning

Let’s go over how to use crimping tool.

Hopefully you have some extra crimp beads and wire to play with. Cut a few pieces of wire about 5 inches long. String on 1 crimp bead. Take the end of the wire back down through the crimp bead so the wire makes a little loop.

You will notice that the crimping tool has two openings, one that looks like a bowl and one that looks like a football.

Position the crimping tool around the crimp bead using the bowl shaped opening and squeeze. The crimp bead has now been formed into a little “u” shape around the wire.

Now position the crimping tool around the “u” shaped bead using the football opening. Make sure the “u” shape is perpendicular to the handles of the tool, and squeeze.

Tug on the wire slightly to make sure it won’t slip out of the crimp bead. Practice a couple of times if needed.

Let’s Get Started!

Step 1 ~ Place Wire Spring and String

(1) Using one 28 inch piece of wire, place the wire spring on one end.  String on a pattern of alternating crystal seed beads and crystal twisted bugle beads until there are 8 bugle beads on the wire. String on one more crystal seed bead to end this pattern.

 

(2) Now string on a pattern of red faceted beads alternating with the crystal seed beads; until you have used all of the red faceted beads.

(3) Finish off with another pattern of alternating crystal seed beads and crystal bugle beads the same length as the first section, making sure to begin and end with crystal seed beads.

(4) On the opposite end as the bead spring, string on 1 crimp bead. Push the wire up through one side of the wire guardian and down through the other, then pull the wire back through the crimp bead again. This is just like the practice loops you made before, but the wire guardian adds more stability and keeps the wire from wearing as easily. I didn’t have you practice this before because the wire guardians can get expensive.

I like to give the tail a little extra length, just in case it does begin to pull through the crimp bead. Before crimping, string the tail of the wire through one or two bugle beads. Pull tight and close the crimp bead around the wire as you practiced. Remember, these seed beads are glass and break easily. Make sure they are not in the way of the crimping tool or they will get crushed.

(5) Trim the tail off of the wire as close to the bead as possible. Tuck the little piece of wire that’s still sticking out into the next bugle bead to keep it from irritating you as it scratches your neck.

(6) Remove the wire spring from the other end and repeat steps 4 and 5.

(7) Repeat all of the above steps to make the strand of pink and crystal beads.

 

Step 2 ~ Fashion the Clasp

Now that you have both strands of beads, let’s work on the clasp.

(1) Open both of the jump rings. Attach one side of the ball magnet to one of the spring clasps with the jump ring in between; close the jump ring.

(2) Repeat this for the other side of the ball magnet.

 

Step 3 ~ Place

Here’s the fun part!

(1) Fold the pink strand in half and opening one of the spring clasps, slide both wire guardians on and let it close.

(2) Fold the red strand in half and place it over the folded pink strand, facing the opposite direction. Slide the ends with the wire guardians under the loops of the pink strand and back over it to make a square knot.

(3) Open the second spring clasp and slide the wire guardians of the red strand on and let it close. Viola!

 

Consider the Possibilities

Think of all the possibilities with this necklace. The strands can be removed and rearranged easily. Square Knot, Loops, Twists,… Make more strands in a variety of colors and you can interchange them to coordinate with any outfit!

Try creating different looks by using other kinds of beads such as Swarovski crystals, pearls or larger seed beads. You can also change the look by eliminating the alternating seed beads or adding more. You can even personalize the necklace by adding charms. (Just hang them from a jump ring!)

I got a little carried away and made 2 strands each of red, yellow, grey, and blue.  I doubled the strands to create more volume.  Now I have enough to cheer on my favorite sports teams!  My son’s school – red/yellow, my daughter’s school- blue/grey, my college team- red/grey, my MLB team- blue/red!

 

Stacey is a self-proclaimed “Jack-of-all-Crafts.”

Although an English as a Second Language teacher by profession, she has been cross-stitching, rubber stamping and making jewelry since she was a teenager.  Her most recent obsession is chain maille jewelry.

She lives in Columbus, Ohio with her husband and three children, where she enjoys reading, letterboxing, genealogy and watching reality tv.

A variety of Stacey’s jewelry creations can be found at Magpie Fair.