We love making jewelry and bead stringing is one of our favorite techniques. If you’ve never done it before, you string beads onto bead stringing wire and finish the ends with a clasp.
To help you choose your bead stringing wire, we made this little video.
Video How-to: Bead Stringing Wire 101
Once you pick your wire, you can follow the steps below to make your own beaded necklace.
How To Make A Beaded Necklace
Materials
2 focal beads, 30 mm, aqua
7 faceted Amazonite beads, 17mm
3 crystal rondelles, white milk glass, 10mm
4 crystal rondelles, clear crystal, 10mm
6 faceted oval beads, AB crystal, 12mm
11 faceted rondelles, silver crystal
1 faceted rondelle, white milk glass, 7mm
10 ridged spacers beads, silver-plated, 6mm
1 hammered toggle clasp, silver-plated, 15mm diameter
2 crimp beads, silver-plated
2 crimp bead covers, silver-plated
2 wire guardians
Bead stringing wire, 19 strand, bright silver
Tools
Chain nose pliers
Wire snips (also called “flush cutters” or “wire cutters”)
Bead board (optional)
Bead bug (optional)
Tape measure
Steps
1. To create a design, lay the beads out on the bead board or a towel. The finished necklace is 18.5″ long including the clasp, so you will need to create an arrangement of beads 16″ long. Start with the focal beads and larger beads. Fill in the spaces between them with the medium beads. Finally, finish by adding smaller beads in any open spaces.
2. Cut a 23″ length of bead stringing wire. To keep the beads from sliding off while you work, clip a bead bug on one end or cut a 2″ piece of masking tape and fold it flat over the end of the wire. Start at one end of your arranged beads and slide the beads in the same order onto the wire one bead at a time.
3. To finish the end, slide a crimp bead onto the end of the wire followed by a wire guardian. Slide one end of the toggle onto the wire and nestle it inside the wire guardian. Poke the end of the wire back through the crimp bead. Using the chain nose pliers, slide the crimp bead up to the wire guardian and press it flat. Slide the end of the wire through the first bead, then trim the end with the flush cutters. Cover the crimp with a crimp bead cover and press it closed with the chain nose pliers.
4. To finish the other end, remove the bead bug or masking tape. Slide on a crimp, a wire guardian, and the other end of the toggle. Poke the end of the wire back through the crimp. Pull the wire taught to remove any loose space between the beads before pressing the crimp bead flat with the chain nose pliers. Slide the wire end through the first bead and trim the end. Cover the crimp with a crimp bead cover.
We hope you have fun with your jewelry making. Remember if you have any questions while you are beading, just pop us a note in the comments. We’re here to help!
Happy Crafting!
Jennifer & Kitty
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