Use bead stringing to make a wintry pearl necklace that goes with everything! We mixed ivory, maroon, blue, and gray pearls with faceted crystals and silver seed beads, but you can use any color beads you like.
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How To make A WINTER MIX Pearl Necklace
Materials
15 Pearls, Blue, Maroon, Pink, and White, 6mm
10 Faceted Crystals, Clear, Olive Gray, Peach, and Pink, 5mmx6mm
Seed beads, silver, Size 15/0
Bead stringing wire, 19-strand, silver
Lobster clasp, silver
2 Jump rings, 4mm, silver
2 Clamshell bead tips, silver
2 Crimp beads, silver
1.5″ piece of chain, open loop, silver
Tools
Chain-nose pliers
Round-nose pliers
Wire cutters
Bead Bug or masking tape
Ruler
Steps
1. Start by cutting a 22″ piece of bead stringing wire. Place a Bead Bug or a piece of masking tape at one end to keep the beads from sliding off as you are bead stringing.
2. Feed on 2″ of silver seed beads. Then slide on five beads, mixing pearls and crystals, and separating each pearl and crystal by 3 seed beads.
3. Next feed on 1″ of seed beads. Then slide on another five beads, mixing pearls and crystals, separating each pearl and crystal by 3 seed beads.
4. Repeat step 3 until all the pearls and crystals are on the necklace. Finish the bead stringing with 2″ of seed beads.
5. To finish the end, slide a clamshell bead tip onto the end of the bead stringing wire. Pick up a crimp bead with the chain-nose pliers, feed it onto the end of the wire and flatten it on the wire. Slide the clamshell bead tip up over the flattened crimp bead and gently press it closed with the chain-nose pliers.
6. Open a jump ring and slide it into the loops on the clamshell bead tip. Slide the lobster clasp into the jump ring. Close the jump ring.
7. Remove the Bead Bug from the other end of the bead stringing wire. Slide all the beads down to the lobster clasp end. Then slide a clamshell bead tip onto the end of the bead stringing wire and all the way down to the beads. Pick up a crimp bead with the chain-nose pliers and feed it onto the wire. Slide it all the way down and nestle it into the clamshell bead tip. Flatten it on the wire. Trim the wire with the wire cutters. Gently press the clamshell bead tip closed over the crimp bead with the chain-nose pliers.
8. Open a jump ring and slide it into the loops on the clamshell bead tip. Slide the end of the piece of chain into the jump ring. Close the jump ring.
By using a piece of chain at one end, we made this necklace adjustable. That makes it perfect for gift giving!
Happy Crafting!
Jennifer & Kitty
Every necklace you show us on your sites is beautiful, and I’m looking at your “recipes.” The number-of-strands subject is quite confusing to me. My granddaughter really likes the 11/0 seed beads. Am I right in thinking the 19-strand Beadalon bead-stringing wire will be too thick for the 11/0 beads? Is there a chart that shows what wire can be used with what beads?
Thank you!
Great question Carolyn,
The bead stringing wire usually shows the thickness of the wire on the label. In this post we have 7-starnd and 19-strand wire spools which say .012inches or .30mm thick https://runningwithsisters.com/bead-stringing-wire/
So you could use either with beads that have a hole larger than .30mm.
Here is a terrific chart of standard bead sizes and their hole sizes: https://www.firemountaingems.com/resources/encyclobeadia/charts/6903
Looks like the 11/0 seed beads mentioned in the chart have hole sizes .64mm or larger so the 19-strand with its .30mm thickness would fit just fine.
Hope that helps!
Jennifer & Kitty