Making my Bridesmaids’ Necklaces

You might remember how I made my bridesmaids’ earrings a little over a month ago. Well, I finally found a weekend to muster up the patience to finish my bridesmaids’ necklaces. I say patience, because, well, looking for those tiny holes to line a piece of wire to isn’t that easy and can become a little daunting on the eyes. Don’t get me wrong though, I’m really pleased with the way these turned out. Now that I think back a few months when I was originally thinking of their jewelry, I really can’t imagine their jewelry any other way! I love it!

This pattern took quite a few tries to work up. If it wasn’t for Miss K (one of my bridesmaids) and Mr. Ballet Flat, however, this pattern would not exist! So, BIG Kudos to them!!

Here’s the supply list:

Beads
4mm bicone swarovski crystal beads (I purchased blue zirconia, crystal and smoked topaz beads)
4mm swarovski pearls (I purchased brown)
3mm bali daisy beads (I found 3mm at a local bead shop, though I think 3.5mm would be okay)
2 crimp beads
2mm round silver beads

Tools
scissors
Pliers (I used bent nose here – to close crimp beads and work with jump rings)

Other supplies
1 set of toggle clasps
1 fleur de lis charm
1 jump ring
Soft Flex Wire (diameter .014 in)

18″ Pattern (from clasp to clasp):
Two round silver beads

Two brown pearls, bali bead, teal crystal, bali bead, three brown pearls, bali bead, teal crystal, bali bead, two brown pearls, bali bead, brown crystal**, bali bead

**alternate brown crystal with crystal colored crystal here

Repeat 2 times. Add two brown pearls, bali bead, teal crystal, bali bead, three brown pearls, bali bead, teal crystal, bali bead, two brown pearls, bali bead. Then, add brown crystal, crystal colored crystal, teal crystal, bali bead, two round silver beads (this right here marks the middle of the necklace). Then, add a teal crystal, crystal colored crystal, brown crystal, then bali bead.

Two brown pearls, bali bead, teal crystal, bali bead, three brown pearls, bali bead, teal crystal, bali bead, two brown pearls, bali bead, crystal colored crystal**, bali bead

**alternate crystal colored crystal with brown crystal here

Repeat 2 times.

End with two brown pearls, bali bead, teal crystal, bali bead, three brown pearls, bali bead, teal crystal, bali bead, two brown pearls, two round silver beads.

NOTE: I did have to make this to a 20″ necklace for some bridesmaids. To do this, repeat the pattern 1 more time on both sides!

Here are the supplies all laid out. I have a previously made necklace on the bead board to help me lay out the pattern for the next necklace.

You will first want to cut about a 25″ piece of wire. Then string the crimp bead on the wire, add the toggle clasp on. Then, loop the wire around the toggle clasp and back through the crimp bead, as shown. You only need to leave an inch or two in excess because you will be cutting it off.

Then, using pliers, “crimp” the bead as close to the clasp as possible. You really want as seamless of a gap here as you can get, so the clasp doesn’t feel super loose.

I didn’t do this in the pictures yet, but using the scissors, cutting as close to the crimp bead as possible, cut the excess piece of wire.

You can see in the picture above what I mean by only leaving an inch or two extra when you originally string on the toggle clasp and crimp bead. You are only stringing beads on one wire once you get the ball rolling. Follow the pattern above for the necklace.

Then, add a crimp bead, the closing end of the clasp, and same as before, loop the wire around the clasp, stringing the rest of the wire back into the crimp bead. Make sure you leave as little excess wire as possible in the necklace so there are no gaps in the necklace.

Cut the excess wire off the end of the crimp bead and voila! You’re ALMOST done! Now, all you have to do is open the jump ring with pliers, loop in the charm, then put the jump ring on the necklace (where the two middle round silver beads are), and close the jump ring on the necklace.

Hehe…now you’re really done!

Now, here’s my super proud Ballet Flat self holding all four of the DIY necklaces!

Now, I think, unfortunately, my bridesmaids were the easy ones. I can only imagine how much fun I will have trying to make the perfect pattern for my jewelry! I’m already second guessing a pattern I started on a while back!

Have any of you DIY’ers found a task daunting, but in the end, found it TOTALLY worth it?