Are you an experienced beader/designer, or are your venturing for the first time into the wonderful, colorful world of beads? Either way, The Beaded Giraffe is your "beading place" in Bethesda.
We combined green-hued turquoise beads with
amber chips and a carnelian pendant to create a
sensational look for spring and summer. If you're new to
beading, the techniques are easy to learn - simply string a few small
beads to make a loop for the pendant, then string the necklace, add a clasp,
and crimp the wire ends. For an easier project, look for a pendant that comes with
its own bail, the jeweler's term for the pendant's connecting loop.
1 large bead for pendant (the carnelian flower shown is about 13/4 in./4.5cm across)
10-20 size 80 seed beads to match pendant color
2 2.5mm silver beads or 2 size 80 seed beads
2 size 110 seed beads, black or silver
2 ft. (61cm) flexible beading wire, .013 or .014
1 ft. (31cm) Fireline fishing line 6 lb. test or other sturdy beading material
beading needles #10 or 12
2 crimp beads
1 toggle clasp
chainnose pliers
G-S Hypo Cement
Thread a beading needle with about
1 ft. (31cm) of Fireline or Nymo. Go
through the pendant's hole from back
to front. String about an inch (2.54cm)
of beads. The finished loop should be
long enough to hold the pendant just
below the necklace beads.
Go through the hole and beads again
for extra strength. Remove the needle.
Pull the thread ends in opposite
directions to tighten the beads into
a loop.
To tie the thread ends together, use a
surgeon's knot: take the left thread over
the right and around. Tighten the
threads.
Take the right over the left thread twice
and pull tight. Glue the knot and let it
dry. Hide the thread tails in a few
neighboring beads and trim the excess.
Determine the desired finished
length of your necklace (ours is
181/2 in./47cm including clasp). String
the turquoise and amber chips onto
the beading wire in a repeating pattern.
At the halfway point, string the
pendant. Continue until your necklace
is the desired length.
To finish the loop end of the toggle
clasp, string a crimp bead, a size 11°
seed bead, and the clasp. Then go back
through the seed bead, the crimp, and
at least one turquoise bead.
Tighten the beading wire until you
have a small loop around the clasp.
Keep the loop small, but not tight
enough to stress the beading wire.
Flatten the crimp bead with chainnose
pliers. Tug the wire tail to make
sure the crimp holds. Crimp again if the
wire slips.
Before finishing the toggle end of the
clasp, string 2 silver beads or size 80
seed beads. These small beads give the
toggle room to pivot and pass through
the loop end. String a crimp, a size 110
seed bead, and the toggle. Go back
through these beads and at least one
turquoise bead.
Tighten the beading wire and
flatten the crimp bead as in step 8. Trim
the excess wire from both ends.
Are you an experienced beader/designer, or are your venturing for the first time into the wonderful, colorful world of beads? Either way, The Beaded Giraffe is your "beading place" in Bethesda.
Thread a beading needle with about
1 ft. (31cm) of Fireline or Nymo. Go
through the pendant's hole from back
to front. String about an inch (2.54cm)
of beads. The finished loop should be
long enough to hold the pendant just
below the necklace beads.
Go through the hole and beads again
for extra strength. Remove the needle.
Pull the thread ends in opposite
directions to tighten the beads into
a loop.
To tie the thread ends together, use a
surgeon's knot: take the left thread over
the right and around. Tighten the
threads.
Take the right over the left thread twice
and pull tight. Glue the knot and let it
dry. Hide the thread tails in a few
neighboring beads and trim the excess.
Determine the desired finished
length of your necklace (ours is
181/2 in./47cm including clasp). String
the turquoise and amber chips onto
the beading wire in a repeating pattern.
At the halfway point, string the
pendant. Continue until your necklace
is the desired length.
To finish the loop end of the toggle
clasp, string a crimp bead, a size 11°
seed bead, and the clasp. Then go back
through the seed bead, the crimp, and
at least one turquoise bead.
Tighten the beading wire until you
have a small loop around the clasp.
Keep the loop small, but not tight
enough to stress the beading wire.
Flatten the crimp bead with chainnose
pliers. Tug the wire tail to make
sure the crimp holds. Crimp again if the
wire slips.
Before finishing the toggle end of the
clasp, string 2 silver beads or size 80
seed beads. These small beads give the
toggle room to pivot and pass through
the loop end. String a crimp, a size 110
seed bead, and the toggle. Go back
through these beads and at least one
turquoise bead.
Tighten the beading wire and
flatten the crimp bead as in step 8. Trim
the excess wire from both ends.