1. Easy
  2. Calendar project 6 steps

Bead, crystal and pearl necklace

Dazzle this winter in crystal encrusted chains from The Bead Shop Nottingham

Rachel has been making jewellery for about 6 years and is now a workshop tutor at The Bead Shop (Nottingham). She loves using chain to link beads and crystals and has a flair for asymmetric designs. Helen is the visual merchandiser for The Bead Shop where she uses her passion for jewellery and talent for combining colours to create stunning designs.

This stunning chain and bead bib necklace will add sparkle to any wintry party outfit. Gorgeous purples mix well with rich ruby and frosty blues.

Designer Tips

  • The random order of the beads within the links adds to the final effect
  • Adding a 4mm bead to the end of each length adds weight and helps to balance the piece
  • On the linked bead pieces only add a maximum of 3 beads per eyepin. This helps the necklace flow without any rigid parts

MATERIALS

  • Round nose pliers
  • Side cutters
  • Chain nose pliers
  • approx 125cm medium figaro chain silver plated
  • approx 90cm small figaro chain silver plated
  • 1 x Medium trigger clasp silver plated
  • 1 x extension chain silver plated
  • 7x 22x11mm oval silver plated scratch beads
  • 23 x 5mm jumprings silver plated
  • 15 x 4mm Bicones/Xilions comet argent light
  • 18 x 4mm Bicones/Xilions indian sapphire comet argent light
  • 17 x 4mm Bicones/Xilions ruby
  • 15 x 4mm Bicones/Xilions metallic blue
  • 9 x 4mm Bicones/Xilions jet haemantite 2x
  • 10 x 6mm Bicones/Xilions comet argent light
  • 10 x 6mm Bicones/Xilions purple velvet
  • 8 x 6mm Bicones/Xilions amethyst
  • 7 x 4mm Pearl burgandy
  • 7 x 4mm Pearl mauve

Step 1

Cut 46cm of the medium figaro chain. This will be the finished length of the necklace part. If you want a longer necklace simply cut more chain, but remember this necklace comes down quite low. Start at the centre of this chain and add 2 ½ cm of small figaro chain with a jumpring.

Step 2

Use an eyepin to add a bicone, a scratch bead, a bicone and then attach a further 12cm of small figaro chain. Use a headpin and one more bicone to add a drop to the bottom. Using eyepins create 2 strings of linked beads 16cm in length. Do this by adding 1, 2 or 3 beads to each eyepin and joining them together. Use a headpin for the bottom one.

Step 3

Use a jumpring to attach it to the next large link either side of the drop in the previous step. Alternate the small and medium figaro chain and work your way out on each side until you have 9 more on each side (21 strands in total) in decreasing graduated lengths; each of these strands need to have links with beads on.

Step 4

Try to place the beads in the same place on each side, but don’t worry about matching up the colours and sizes, just the quantities and placing. The scratch beads need to be (if the middle first strand is 1) on drops 1, 3, 5 & 8 on either side, in roughly the same place on the strand but don’t worry if it is not exact as this is part of the look.

Step 5

When creating the links with the scratch beads it works well to have a bead either side. You do not have to have all the lengths the same type of chain all the way down, try putting large figaro at the top and small on the bottom after a bead to change the effect.

Step 6

The last dangle needs to be approx 5 1/2cm in length. Finally using jump rings attach a trigger clasp and extension chain.

Resources:

All products are available from The Bead Shop (Nottingham) Ltd
Web: www.mailorder-beads.co.uk
Tel: 0115 958 8899 Email: info@mailorder-beads.co.uk