Supplies:
*Pearl pendant
*Fresh water pearl tear drops
*sea blue square side gems
* Fresh water 'drop' pearls
*Bright blue oval gems
*bead wire (.18mm in silver)
*jump rings (2)
*clamp beads (3) #1
*needle nose pliers
*clamp pliers
*wire cutters
*Measuring tape
*Lobster clasp and toggle
*Tip 1- Plan It Out* As with all jewelry designs I laid out the design on my bead board before I started doing anything. Had to try out different style gem stones to see which one matched best, as I did not buy any of the beads at the same time. This also includes making sure the clasp, clamp beads, jump rings, and so on match the color pallet.
*Tip 2- Measure* Always measure for each project to make sure the lengths that fit best are correct. This is important when making items for other people. Once you have done them enough times you will know the required lengths and can skip this step.
Steps
- Measure out the length of bead wire you will need to fit comfortably around your neck and sit at the length you like. Then give yourself about 2 inches to loop back through at the ends. Use wire cutters to cut correct length.
- Take a pair of need nose pliers and open a jump ring. Slide the jump ring onto the end of the clasp and close the jump ring.
- Take a clamp and thread it on the bead wire; then slide the bead wire through the jump ring attached to the clasp. Loop the bead wire back through the clamp bead and then use the clamp pliers to clamp it the bead in place. This should allow for a loop to hold the one end in place.
*Tip 3- Tight Loops* Try and keep the loop as tight as possible to keep from having a big gap. This can be done by holding one end of the bead wire with a needle nose pliers and then taking the other end of the wire and pulling it tighter. Keeping it tight keeps the wire from rubbing. This is also why using a jump ring to attach to the clasp is important, as the wire attached to the jump ring is not going to move around much if its pulled tight.
- Thread on the beads and gems in the order of the design you picked ahead of time. (see *Tip 1*)
My design is tear drop pearl, bright blue oval gem, 3 drop pearls (in rotating angle), bright blue oval gem, square sided gem, tear drop pearl, square sided gem, and bright blue oval gem. The only time that changes if when I have reached the middle of the necklace (which I measured and marked ahead of time) where I did square sided gem, oval gem, and then pendant. After that point I reversed the order to mirror the other side.
- Continue this until you have the length you determined earlier. (see *Tip 2* )
*Suggestion 1* Doing one clamp bead at the end to make sure everything stays tight and then another to create the loop is NOT required. You can choose to use only one clamp bead, just be sure to keep the beads together tightly enough to not end up with large gaps when you wear it. I do it for both ease and strength. Beginners can do this until they get better at re-threading the closure clamp.
*Tip 4 - Consider Material and Purpose* You must always be aware of the type of give and strength your supplies have or you could end up with breaks, scrapping, and no flexibility. The heavier the wire the less bend and flexibility it has. String the beads too tightly together and some will rub together and break. String them too tightly and the beads will bunch and not bend well around your wrist. Some times you need to allow for "give room" with bracelets in order to get the bracelet to wrap. This can also mean you should use seed beads to give flex room in between certain types of stones, gems, rocks, and so on.
- Once you have finished your design for the length, slide on a clamp and use the clamp pliers to secure it in place. (see *Suggestion 1* and *Tip 4* ) (I almost always do this step just to secure my design and tightness of the beads.)
- Take another clamp bead and thread it on first, then slide on the other jump ring, then thread the wire back through the clamp. Now tighten the wire until you have a small loop. Be sure that the jump ring stays in the loop you create. Use the clamp pliers to close the clamp when you have the loop the size you want. (see *Tip 3* )
- Take a wire cutters and clip off the extra wire as close as possible to the last clamp bead. If the wire is bend-able enough and the bead holes are big enough you can thread the extra wire back through the beads instead of cutting it.
- Take a needle nose pliers and open the jump ring on the end you just finished and slide on the other end of the clasp (Or length of chain if you want to use that instead. This will allow for different tightness around the wrist. This can be very helpful if you didn't follow *Tip 2* and its not long enough to go all the way around the wrist.) and close the jump ring with the needle nose pliers.
That will finish off the necklace.
For some reason I had a considerable amount of left over pearls and gems. With this earring set I did something a little different.
Supplies:
*Fresh water 'drop' pearls (left overs)
*Square side blue gems (left overs)
*Bright blue oval gems (left overs)
*2 1/2 inch length of light silver chain (2)
*Head pins (8)
*Earring 'type' (2)
*Silver wire
*needle nose pliers
*Round nose plier
*wire cutters
*Suggestion 2* When finishing the eye loop you should think ahead to whether you plan to use a jump ring to connect the eye loop, or if you are going to connect straight to the eye loop. If you are going to use a jump ring you can go ahead and close the eye loop. If you aren't going to use a jump ring then you should leave the eye loop open a little in order to connect it to what you want.
- Take a head pin and slide on the gems you have left over that you would like to use in whatever order you have decided. (see *Tip 1*)
- Use the needle nose pliers to bend the head pin at the top of the last gem.
- Use the round nose pliers to create the eye loop. (see *Suggestion 2*)
- Use the wire cutters to remove the extra of the head pin.
- Repeat first 4 steps 8 times, 4 for the square side gems and 4 for the blue oval gems.
- Take the silver wire and cut 6 strips about the length of you pinkie finger.
- Take one strip of wire and thread it through one 'drop' pearl. Pull both ends together (creating a triangle with the tip at the top where the wire ends connect).
- Use the round nose pliers to create a eye loop like you would with a head pin. Instead of cutting off the extra you will wrap the wire around the bottom of the eye loop and just above the pearl.
- Repeat the last step 5 more times.
- Use the needle nose pliers to open the loop on the end of the earring hook. Slide the 1st link of the silver chain on. Close the loop.
- Repeat this step for the other earring.
- Use the needle nose pliers to slide one of the square side gem eye loops onto the 1st link in silver chain. Then use pliers to close the loop.
- Use the needle nose pliers to slide one of the blue oval gem eye loops onto the 4th link in the silver chain. Then use the pliers to close the loop.
- Use the needle nose pliers to slide one of the square side gem eye loops onto the 7th link in the silver chain. Then use the pliers to close the loop.
- Use the needle nose pliers to slide one of the blue oval gem eye loops onto the 10th (or last) link in the silver chain. Then use the pliers to close the loop.
- Repeat the last 4 steps for the other earring.
- Use the needle nose pliers to pull open the 2nd link of the chain. Slide on the pearl eye loop onto the open link. Then use pliers to close the link.
- Use the needle nose pliers to pull open the 6th link of the chain. Slide on the pearl eye loop onto the open link. Then use pliers to close the link.
- Use the needle nose pliers to pull open the 8th link of the chain. Slide on the pearl eye loop onto the open link. Then use pliers to close the link.
- Repeat the last 3 steps for the other earring.
This will finish the earring set.
