How To Make A Dangling Bead Necklace

Make a colorful beaded necklace with dangling crystals. This necklace is pretty easy once you master the wrapped loop. It’s not hard at all! Then you just repeat the same steps over and over to add each bead. We made ours in ombre blues and greens but this would be pretty all one color or all mixed up!

Here’s a video we made to show you every step. Follow along as we show you how to make the necklace, then use the steps below to make your own.

Video Tutorial: How To Make A Dangling Bead Necklace

How To Make A Dangling Bead Necklace

Materials

17″ Open loop chain, silver
5 Faceted crystal rondelles, 6mmx8mm, light green
5 Faceted crystal rondelles, 6mmx8mm, dark green
5 Faceted crystal rondelles, 6mmx8mm, periwinkle blue
5 Faceted crystal rondelles, 6mmx8mm, blue
21 Ball heads pins, silver-plate
1 Crystal bicone beads, light green, 3mm
1 Jump ring, silver
1 Lobster clasp, silver

Tools

Chain-nose pliers
Round-nose pliers
Wire cutters
Tape measure

Steps

1. To get started, cut a 17″ piece of chain. To cut chain, just snip a link with the wire cutters. Throw the broken link away. Find the center of the chain by folding the chain in half. We like to mark the center with a head pin on the work area.

2. Next lay the beads out so with five blue and five periwinkle to the left of the center and five dark green and five light green to the right of the center.

3. Starting with the first bead to the right of the center, slide a bead onto a headpin.

4. Pinch the headpin wire above the bead with the tip of the round-nose pliers and bend the wire towards yourself 90 degrees.

5. Reposition the round-nose pliers on top of the wire, just above the 90-degree turn. Wrap the end of the headpin over the top jaw of the pliers to start a loop.

6. Reposition the bottom jaw of the round-nose pliers into the partial loop. Bend the wire the rest of the way around to make a complete loop.

7. Slide the loop into the chain in the first link next to the center.

8. Grasp the loop across with the chain-nose pliers. Wrap the end of the wire around the beaded headpin two times then trim with wire cutters.

9. Repeat steps 3 through 5 to add bead dangles to every other link in the chain, following the pattern laid out in the beginning.

10. Open the jump ring using both sets of pliers. You can see how we do this in the video.

11. Slide the lobster clasp onto the jump ring, then slide the jump ring onto the end of the chain.

12. Close the jump ring.

13. Make a small beaded dangle with the small bicone bead following steps 3 through 5. Attach the dangle to the other end of the chain. This makes the necklace adjustable!

We love how this necklace turned out. It is so wearable! It goes with a little black dress or jeans and a t-shirt. Let us know if you make one! What colors would you wear? Leave us a comment!
Happy crafting,
Jennifer & Kitty

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