Purple drop necklace
The steps below will outline how to make a purple drop necklace, but if you are new to beading, here is some advice before you start. All the materials below are easily found in your local craft shop. If you are only going to be making this one necklace then that is the place to get your material. If on the other hand you are intending to make jewelry to sell then you are best looking at other places besides retail shops to find your supplies.
Finding out how to source the best wholesale jewelry supplies can be a bit of a headache when you start, but if you are serious about establishing a profitable business then you need to do it. With so many places online that supply jewelry materials, it is difficult to find a reliable one. Use eBay to find cheap beads and other materials. The reason eBay is so good is that all sellers have a feedback score, so it is easy to spot the reliable from the unreliable. There is not much that you wont find for sale there from gold chains to handmade glass beads, which will save you a lot of time trying to source different suppliers.
Create this simple and elegant purple drop necklace with lovely lilac teardrop beads and amethyst beads.
This pattern will produce one necklace approximately 18? in length.
Supply List
6? Silver Cable Chain cut into 4 – 1 1/2? sections
22 Gauge Silver Wire
1 Silver Lobster Claw Clasp with Tab (clasp pictured is 12mm)
9 – 10mm Opaque Lilac Teardrop Beads
12 – 6/0 Light Amethyst Beads
20 – 6/0 Amethyst Beads
4 – 4mm Silver Heishi Spacer Beads
Step One
Begin by creating all of the wire links that you will need for this necklace. Please reference my January 2003 Looped Bracelet/Chain tip if you are unfamiliar with creating wire links. You will need 23 wire looped sections in all, they break down like this:
12 – Links with a single 6/0 Light Amethyst Bead
9 – Links with an 6/0 Amethyst Bead / 10mm Opaque Lilac Teardrop Bead / 6/0Amethyst Bead
2 – Links with a 4mm Silver Heishi Spacer Bead / 6/0 Amethyst Bead / Silver Heishi Spacer Bead
Step Two
You can now begin assembly of the necklace; you will work from one end of the necklace to the other. Begin by connecting links* and additional materials together in this order:
Connect Clasp to one of the Heishi/Amethyst/Heishi links
Add one chain section
Add a Light Amethyst link
Add one chain section
Add a Light Amethyst link
Step Three
Repeat the following Nine times:
Add a Teardrop link
Add a Light Amethyst link
Repeat Step Two materials in reverse order to complete the necklace.
*Remember to TWIST your link loops open, do not open them by bending the loop open or you will ruin the circular shape of the loop.
Jennifer Thoden shares her love of beads and creativity with beginner beaders and jewelry designers. Her love of color and unique design shows in her bead patterns. Find her bead patterns and tutorials at http://www.beadpatternsonline.com
