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Updated color creates a fresh, new look in this necklace, bracelet, and earrings.
What's old is new again as fashion reinvents colors
from the past. In this jewelry set, 1970s avocado
reemerges as a more intense hue of parrot green. The
overall design is delicate and deceptively simple, with
peridot briolettes sprinkled along brilliant strands
of tiny, gold seed beads and accompanied by dainty
dangle earrings. These pieces convey an understated
elegance that centers around the gorgeous green
gemstones. The result is a classy color update that is
simply unforgettable. |
necklace
- strand of 25-30 peridot briolettes, graduated sizes
- hank of faceted seed beads, size 150, gold
- 12 2mm or 3mm round gold spacer beads
- 6 gold-filled crimp beads
- gold flexible beading wire, .012 or .013
- three-strand gold clasp
- chainnose or crimping pliers
- diagonal wire cutters
bracelet
- 2 peridot briolettes, left over from the necklace
- faceted seed beads, size 150, gold, left over from the necklace
- 4 3mm large-hole round gold spacer beads
- 2 gold-filled crimp beads
- gold flexible beading wire, .013 or .014
- gold toggle clasp (Fire Mountain Gems, 800-355-2137, firemountaingems.com)
- chainnose or crimping pliers
- diagonal wire cutters
earrings
- 2 peridot briolettes, left over from the necklace
- 4 in. (10cm) 26-gauge gold-filled wire, half hard
- pair of gold-filled earring wires
- chainnose and roundnose pliers
- diagonal wire cutters
Select and arrange the briolettes for all three projects before you start stringing.
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Determine the finished length of your necklace. (My strands are
14 in., 143/4 in., and 153/4 in./35.6cm, 37.5cm, and 40cm, respectively.) Add 6 in.
(15cm) to each measurement and cut a piece of beading wire to each length.
Remove the briolettes from the strand. If you're making earrings, choose two
briolettes of equal size and set aside. Divide the remaining briolettes into three
groups, one for each strand of the necklace. Arrange the briolettes, alternating
sizes and quantities. (My necklace has strands with seven, eight, and nine
briolettes.) Set aside two briolettes for the bracelet if desired.
On each wire, string a section of briolettes, interspersed with ten or more
seed beads. Center each section on its wire. |
On each end of each wire, string
seed beads until the strand is within
1 in. (2.5cm) of the desired length.
Check the fit, and add or remove an
equal amount of beads from each
end if necessary. |
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On each end of each wire, string a round spacer, a crimp bead, a round spacer,
and the respective loop on a clasp half. Go back through the beads just strung
and tighten the wires. Double-check the fit, and add or remove beads from each
end if necessary. Crimp the crimp beads (Basic Techniques, p. 110) and trim the
excess wire. |
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Determine the finished
length of your bracelet, add 6 in., and
cut three pieces of beading wire to
that length. String a large-hole spacer,
a crimp bead, a spacer, and half the
clasp over the three wires. Go back
through the beads, tighten the wires,
and crimp the crimp bead. Trim the
excess wire. If desired, mark the
bracelet's halfway point on each wire
with a permanent marker. |
On one wire, string seed beads just
past the bracelet's halfway point, then
string a briolette. String seed beads
until the strand is within 1 in. of the
desired length. On another wire, string
seed beads just short of the bracelet's
halfway point, then string a briolette.
String seed beads until the strand is
within 1 in. of the desired length. |
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On the remaining wire, string seed
beads until the strand is within 1 in. of
the desired length. Loosely braid the
three strands. |
String a large-hole spacer, a crimp
bead, a spacer, and the remaining clasp
half over the three wires. Go back
through the beads, tighten the wires,
and check the fit. Add or remove
beads, if necessary. Crimp the crimp
bead and trim the excess wire. |
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Cut a 2-in. (5cm) piece
of 26-gauge wire. String a top-drilled
briolette and make a wrapped loop
(Basic Techniques) above the bead. |
Open the loop on an earring wire
and attach the dangle. Close the
loop. Make a second earring to match
the first. |