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San Diego, CA  Visual Artist  & Educator Denise J. Bonaimo

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Floating Necklace on Bead Cord Instructions

Denise J. Bonaimo, San Diego visual artist & educator www.bonaimo.com artdiva@bonaimo.com

Floating Necklace on Bead Cord (Thread Type String)

This necklace design is different than a regular beaded necklace as the beads are scattered at even (or uneven) intervals along the beading wire to create the look that the beads are “floating around the neck”. The soft fiber thread- like bead cord is exposed in alternating increments and the beads are fixed around the wire with single or double overhand knots on either side of the sections.

The sections of beads are called “stations”. Stations can be a single bead or a grouping of beads. You must be sure the bead holes are the appropriate size for your knot thickness. If the holes are too big for the knots, the bead will slide right over your knots. Bead Cords come in several different sizes (#0- #8) Choose a size of bead cord that allows you to comfortably slide the bead over the string, yet sits nicely up against the overhand knot.

For added fun, make a double or triple strand. Create each strand separately, complete with bead tip (knot covers) on each end, but minus the clasp. Then hook all the bead tip knot cover onto one clasp. Make sure to make different length strands so they will hang in anested fashion (one below the other).

Materials and Tools:

1)      PREPARE TO STRING.

a.      Using the bead design board, take some time to thoughtfully design your necklace by placing the beads in the exact order, using the measurement increments to balance your bead stations around the channel, to reach the desired finished length.

o        Standard necklace sizes are 15” (choker), 16”, 18”, 20”, 22”, 24”, 30”.

o        Spacing increments can be 1/2”, 1”, 2”, random…

o        It may be helpful to lay your wire on the bead board and use a permanent marker to mark the beading wire at these increments, to assure even spacing.

b.      Choose a clasp that is easy to grasp and in proportion to your beads.

c.      Cut the desired length of bead cord. (Usually 5 inches longer than your design.) Spend 3 minutes stretching your bead cord firmly. Do it before you string, because it will stretch later and make your nice snug bead stations loose.

2)      ATTACH ONE END OF THE CLASP with a bead tip (knot cover) Clamshell (Fig A)  or cup style (Fig B)

a. Tie an over hand knot in one end of your bead cord.

b. Use the GS Hypo cement glue to saturate your knot. Let it dry for a minute. Trim any excess with a sharp fine- pointed scissor

c. Grasp the opposite end of the bead cord (the end without the knot) and slide on the bead tip (knot cover) by guiding the bead cord into hole through the interior bowl area. You know you've got it correct when the bead tip (knot cover) slides all the way down to the opposite end and the knot sits neatly within the confines of the interior of the clamshell or the cup.

d. Take your clasp and slip it onto the hook portion of the bead tip (knot cover). Use the round nose pliers to grasp the hook and turn it in on itself to secure the clasp to the bead tip (knot cover).

e. If you are using the clamshell style bead tip (knot cover), use the chain nose pliers to close your clamshell over the knot.

3)      ASSEMBLE THE FIRST STATION.

a.     Refer to your bead board, where you have your design planned out. Measure the length between the bead tip (knot cover) and your first station. Tie an overhand knot at that point on your bead cord.

b.      Slide on your first station of beads.

c.      Tie another overhand knot to secure your beads in place. It is helpful to use an awl to slide your knot into accurate place. There shouldn't be any "play" or wiggle space.

4)      ASSEMBLE THE SECOND STATION.

a. According to your design plan, measure the space between stations, tie an overhand knot in the appropriate place on your bead cord. So the result is an exposed area of bead cord with no beads.

b. Slide on your next station of beads.

c. Tie another over hand knot to secure your station in place.

5)      REPEAT the process until you work your way all the way around the necklace. Remember the necklace ends with an exposed area of bead cord followed by the bead tip (knot cover) and clasp.

6)      ATTACH THE OTHER END OF THE CLASP.

a.      At the free end of your bead cord, slide on the bead tip (knot cover). This time guide the cord through the hole from the exterior. (opposite of before) Let the bead tip (knot cover) slide away from the end of your cord or the time being, so it does not get in your way of tying the final knot.

b.      Remember to leave a desired length of exposed bead cord for the last station's knot. Tie an overhand knot in the desired place and glue with GS Hypo cement.

c. Bring the bead tip (knot cover) up over the knot.

d. Attach your clasp like before.

e. Trim off the excess string with your sharp fine- pointed scissors. And you are done.