Tracy's Trinkets and Treasures: Necklace Tutorial

Monday, August 2, 2010

Necklace Tutorial

A promise is a promise. When I showed you some of my necklaces that I have made I said I would show you how to make them. You can see the other necklaces here.

This necklace tutorial can also be used for bracelets. You will just make it shorter so that it fits on your wrist.

Ok here we go.

I have an obsession with beads. Once I start buying them, I can’t quit. My favorite places to buy beads are listed below. Click on the name to take you to the website.

Fire Mountain Gems and Beads

Happy Mango Beads

Gifts Joy

HHH Enterprises

I also shop at Hobby Lobby and Michaels.

This is most of my collection. I recommend these containers that can be found at most craft stores. It makes it easy to store and see your beads.

I would like to have better jewelry tools. I have a mini tool kit that I use. It is also much easier to make jewelry if you get a board that will help you measure and see your design before you build your necklace.

I use this nylon coated wire from Hobby Lobby. Sometimes I buy the one that is “Best” flexibility instead of just good.

These are my favorite necklace clasps from Hobby Lobby. I rarely buy pure silver because of the cost. You also need crimp beads.

Use the board to measure the wire. I like my necklaces to be around the 8 to 9 mark. It depends on your neck size and how long you want the necklace to be. Always give your self at least an inch and a half on either end of extra wire to be able to attach the clasps.

Cut your wire with wire cutters.

I chose simple beads so I could make this necklace easily. The bigger the beads the faster you can make it.

I placed my pearls on the board and then added the pink beads in between.

Here are some ideas for a pendant for this necklace. I didn’t use one though.

If you use a pendant then you want to center it. I removed a pearl so that the beads would be even on either side of the pendant.

Place a crimp bead onto the nylon wire.

Add the clasp. And then put the wire back into the crimp to form a loop.

Push the crimp bead close to the clasp and use either a crimper or some flat pliers to smash the crimp bead onto the wire.

Start adding beads.

When you get all of your beads onto the wire then you need to add the other end of the clasp. First you have to put on another crimp bead.

Make sure that you pull the crimp bead and the clasp down next to the bead and crimp.

Trim the wire long enough to fit it into the bead so it will stay but short enough so you can work with it by bending it and getting it into the bead hole.