Crystal necklace project:

The most important technique for making this crystal necklace is to learn how to make a loop on a headpin, and attach it to the necklace chain. Once you can do this, you’ll be able to make many variations of this design. You might even be able to design your own unique necklace. Have fun!

What you need:

• 7 crystal beads (5mm), color of your choice
• 4 crystal beads (4mm)
• 1 Large crystal bead (10mm)
• 5 Bali spacer beads
• 3 small round spacer beads
• headpins (I used 2 inch headpins)
• 3 small round silver spacer beads
• round nose pliers
• wire or side cutters
• chain necklace with links of 2mm at least

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Step 5:

Step 6:

Step 7:

How to make a beaded briolette necklace:

What you need:

• 1 large briolette crystal bead (2½cm), color of your choice
• 6 silver metal beads (5-7mm)
• 4 small pearls
• a silver charm
• coin pearl or any other bead to fit your design
• 2mm or 3mm silver spacer beads
• thin headpins that will fit small pearls (usually 22 gauge or 24 gauge)
• thicker headpins for the metal beads (20g)
• 20 gauge silver wire (approximately 4-5”)
• 3 jump rings (9mm)
• 4 jump rings (7mm)
• necklace chain with a ready fitted clasp (5mm links)
• silver circle link
• round nose pliers
• chain or flat nose pliers
• wire or side cutters
• safety glasses (optional)

Step 1:
Open a 7mm jump ring as described on the page how to open and close jump rings. Find the central link of your chain and slide it onto the jump ring, followed by a 9mm jump ring (make sure it’s closed properly). Close the jump ring the correct way.

Step 2:
Attach two more 9mm jump rings.

Step 3:
Attach another 7mm jump ring, and slide the circle link onto the jump ring as well. Close it properly. If your circle link has a drilled hole, put the jump ring through the hole instead.

Step 4:
Slide your beads onto the headpins. Use some of the small spacer beads if the holes are too big to hold the headpin.

Step 5:
Take your metal beads and make a loop for each headpin as described on the pageheadpin loop. Don’t make loops for the pearls yet, you are going to make wrapped loops for them.

Step 6:
Open the loop of each headpin with your round nose pliers. Try not to open it too wide otherwise the round shape of the loop might be distorted.

Attach the metal beads to either side of the 9mm jump rings. Close the loops completely (using your round nose pliers) to prevent the beads from slipping off the jump rings.

Step 7:
You are going to make a wrapped loop for each pearl as described on the page wrapped headpin. Make sure you attach the open loops to the jump rings before wrapping it. I’ve made that mistake too many times! Attach a pearl to each jump ring as shown in the graphics below.

Step 8:
Open a 7mm jump ring and slide your charm and circle link onto the jump ring. Close it completely.

Step 9:
The next step is to make a briolette wrap for the crystal briolette. I've used 20g wire instead of 22g for this chunky beaded briolette necklace (feel free to use 22g wire). Follow the detailed descriptions on the page briolette wrap. You will have to make the loop big enough to slip the circle link onto it as shown in the photo below.

Step 10:
This is the last step in making your beaded briolette necklace. Take the coin pearl on the headpin and make a wrapped loop for the headpin as described on the page wrapped headpin. You don’t need to attach anything to the loop while you're making it.

Open the last 7mm jump ring and attach the coin pearl to the circle link on the other side of the crystal.

Well done, your beaded briolette necklace is now ready to wear!

How to make a wrapped Y necklace:

• pearls of your choice
• one Swarovski heart-shaped briolette bead
• 22gauge (0.6mm) silver wire
• toggle clasp and bar
• belcher or curb chain with links of 2mm
• 2 jump rings (3mm or 4mm)
• round nose pliers
• chain or flat nose pliers
• wire or side cutters
• safety glasses (optional)

Step 4:
Slide a pearl onto the wire. Grip the wire 2mm above the pearl with your round nose pliers, and make a loop as in step 2. Cut off 3 links of chain and slide it onto the open loop. Wrap the wire 2-3 times around the neck of the loop, and cut off the excess wire with your wire cutters.

Step 5:
The rest of the necklace is just a repetition of the same technique. Add another wrapped pearl to the design. You don’t need to attach a chain for this step.

Step 7:
Continue to add pearls (with chain attached to it) on both sides. Measure the necklace as you go along. Stop adding pearls when you have your necklace size minus 2” (5cm), because the toggle clasp and chain will measure approx. 2 inches. Do not wrap the last pearl on both sides, leave the loop open.

Step 8:
Cut off 10 links of chain (x2). The reason for the 10 links is that it is quite difficult to fasten a toggle bar with a pearl attached close to it. Slide the chain onto the open loops at both ends.

Well done, your wrapped ‘Y’ necklace is now ready to wear.

How to knot pearls or restring pearls