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Tribal Elegance Necklace
Project N612
Designer: Julie Bean
Pairing the unexpected is part of the fun of beading. Taking two lengths of brass chain and combining
them with sparkling Swarovski crystal beads and 11/0 Toho beads results in a elegant yet tribal feeling
necklace.
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What You'll Need
Purchase All Supplies
Specialized Tools
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Instructions:
- Take your 4' of chain and cut it into two lengths: 16 inches and 32 inches. Put the 32 inch chain aside for now. Take your 16 inch length and count the links starting from one end. Count 20 links and on the 21st link take your chain nose pliers and squeeze the middle of the link together - there is already an indent on both sides, just squeeze the sides together. Do this for a total of 13 links. Skip 6 links then squeeze together another 13. Set the chain aside.
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Cut 30 lengths of 24 gauge wire, 1 inch long each. Taking one wire length, make a simple wire loop, and thread onto the wire 4 transparent frosted teal Toho beads. Make a simple wire loop right after the last bead and cut off excess wire with flush cutters. Make 9 more of these. Following the same pattern of simple wire loop, 4 Toho's, simple wire loop, make the following: 10 sections using marbled opaque turquoise blue Toho's and 6 sections using silver lined frosted black diamond Toho's. Now take 4 more 1 inch lengths and follow the same pattern but only place 2 silver lined frosted black diamond Toho's on each section.
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Cut 14 lengths of 24 gauge wire, 2 inches long each. Taking one wire length, make a simple wire loop, and thread onto the wire 1 Swarovski 4mm Xilion bicone bead, 2 transparent frosted teal Toho beads, 1 Swarovski 6mm bicone bead in black diamond AB, 2 transparent frosted teal Toho beads, and another Swarovski 4mm Xilion bicone bead . Make a simple wire loop right after the last bead and cut off excess wire with flush cutters. Make 4 more of these. Repeat this same step making 5 more sections but replacing the frosted teal Tohos with turquoise blue Tohos. Again, repeat this same step this time using silver lined frosted black Tohos - make 3 sections of this combination.
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We are now ready to assemble our necklace. We will be using jump rings which we will place around the squeezed chain links and through the simple wire loops of all the items we made above. Let's begin!
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Take your 16" chain and find the first squeezed link from one end. Open a 4mm jump ring and place onto it one of the longer bar lengths you made in step 3 with teal Tohos and one of the shorter lengths you made in step 2 with teal Tohos. Place the jump ring around the link (not in it but have it circling the squeezed middle section of the link) and close the jump ring. Move down your chain repeating this same step on the next 4 links so that you have 5 rows of teal Toho sections (see photo). On the next 5 links down the chain, repeat the above step but use the bar length sections you made with turquoise blue Tohos. Continuing down the chain, repeat this step with the next 3 links this time using sections that have the silver lined frosted black Tohos.
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Count the 6 links which are not squeezed, find the 7th link which should already be squeezed, this will be the link you will be working with. Open a 4mm jump ring and place onto it a 4 bead length you made in step 2 using silver lined frosted black Tohos. Wrap the jump ring around the link and grab the dangling end of the last long bar length you connected in the previous step and place it onto the jump ring. Close the jump ring. Work your way up your chain repeating this exact same step matching the colors you connect until you have all your lengths securely connected to the chain. Through all of this there will be 1 Swarovski beaded length from step 3 left over, we will attach it later.
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It is now time to connect your beads to the 32 inch length of chain. Begin by folding the 32 inch chain in half and finding the middle link. Twist a small piece of wire around this link just to help mark it - we will remove this wire when we are done. From each side of the middle link, count 5 links (not including the middle one). On the 6th link, squeeze the link you like you did on your 16" chain. Squeeze 13 links on each side.
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On one side of your 32 inch chain, on that 6th link from the middle that is squeezed, wrap a jump ring around it and link onto that jump ring the end of the first silver lined frosted black Toho 4 bead section that is connected to your 16" chain length. Now connect the second Toho section the same way, and on and on until you have all your dangling Toho 4 bead sections on one side of the necklace attached with jump rings to the 32" chain. Once one side is complete, move to the next side so that all your sections are connected. When you hold up your work, you should have a beaded "bib" at this point.
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Find the 4 beaded sections that you created earlier with a simple wire loop on each end and 2 silver lined frosted black Tohos. Find the middle link of your 32 inch chain. Count 4 links from the middle and on that 4th link, gently open the simple wire loop on one end (of a 2 bead length) and attach it to the side of that 4th link, close the loop. Find the chain link which it corresponds to on the 16" chain and attach it the same way. Repeat this same process on the 5th chain link from the middle link on the 32" chain. Repeat on the other side as well.
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On your 16" chain, count 4 links from the top of your beadwork. They should not be squeezed. On the 5th link, attach one side of your remaining Swarovski beaded length. Do not use a jump ring, just open the simple wire loop, thread it onto one side of the chain link and close the loop back up. Attach it to the other side of the 16" chain the same way.
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Return your attention to your 32" chain and count from the top of your beadwork 20 chain links on one side. On the 21st link, attach a jump ring and on that jump ring also place the end chain link on one side of your 16" chain. Close the jump ring. Repeat on the other side.
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Take your clasp and open the loop at the bottom the same way you would open a jump ring. Attach it to the end chain link of your 32" chain section. Close the loop. On the other side of your chain, place a jump ring and attach to it a split ring. Close the jump ring.
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You did it! Enjoy!
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We had a hard time deciding if this should be a long necklace or a short necklace, maybe even a choker. You might find that you want to wear the beadwork higher up on your chest and neck. If this is the case, simply cut off some of the end chain links on the 32" chain length when you are all finished but before attaching your clasp. Then, simply attach your clasp the same way to the new, shorter chain. Play with it, have fun.
Tip: Check package quantities for each component. You may have extra material to make more than one finished project, or will have leftovers for other projects. In some cases, adding on just one more package of a component may be all you need to make multiple pieces.
All designs © Beadaholique Inc.
You may use our designs to make items for personal use or gifts.
Sale of our designs, whether in written form or assembled, is prohibited.
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