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

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Floating Necklace Instructions

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

 

Floating Necklace on Beading Wire

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 beading wire is exposed in alternating increments and the beads are fixed around the wire with mini crimps squished on either side of the sections. Try colored beading wire for a different effect.

The sections of beads are called “stations”. Stations can be a single bead or a grouping of beads.

Materials and Tools:

  1. Bead Design Board
  2. Beads 3 or more (depending on how many stations of beads and quantity of beads per station you desire.
  3. 2 Crimps (2x2 mm for ends)
  4. 14-28 mini crimps (1x1 mm to secure beads)
  5. Beading Wire (Soft Flex/ Beadalon…)

(012-.017)
  1. 1 Clasp
  2. Chain Nose Pliers
  3. Crimping Pliers (if desired)
  4. Awl
  5. Wire Cutters

 

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 beading wire. (Usually 3 inches longer than your design.)

 

2)      ATTACH ONE END OF THE CLASP. (figure 1)

 

a.      Slide on the first 2x2 mm crimp onto one end of the beading wire.

b.      Slide on one side of your clasp.

c.      Double back the beading wire through the crimp.

d.      Grasp the two beading wires so they lay side by side within the crimp, taking care to be certain they do not overlap.

e.      Maintaining a loose grasp on the two wires, pull the longer beading wire to lessen the diameter of the loop.

o        The final loop should be no wider than a beading awl, just enough to allow the clasp to swing freely.

f.        Squish the crimp with either a chain nose pliers or crimping pliers.

o        Do the “Finger Nail Test”. Use the finger nails of your thumb and forefinger to deliberately try to slide the crimp off. It shouldn’t budge at all.

Figure 1

 

3)      ASSEMBLE THE FIRST STATION.

a.      Slide on your first mini crimp. Position it at your desired distance from the clasp end. Use chain nose pliers to squish the crimp at the beginning of the first interval.

b.      Slide on your first station of beads.

c.      Slide on another mini crimp and squish it in place. The crimps should sandwich the beads snugly. There shouldn’t be any “play” between the beads and crimps.

4)      ASSEMBLE THE SECOND STATION.

a.      According you your plan, leave a length of exposed beading wire. Slide on another mini crimp and squish it at the desired position.

b.      Slide on your first station of beads.

c.      Slide on another mini crimp and squish it in place. The crimps should sandwich the beads snugly. There shouldn’t be any “play” between the beads and crimps.

5)      REPEAT the process until you work your way all the way around the necklace.

6)      ATTACH THE OTHER END OF THE CLASP.

a.      Remember to leave a desired length of exposed beading wire from the last station’s mini crimp.

b.      At the end of your beading wire, slide on a 2mm crimp. (Not a mini crimp).

c.      Slide the other side of your clasp.

d.      Double back the beading wire through the crimp.

e.      Slip an awl into the loop and pull the remaining string taught, until the loop is as small as the width of the awl.

o        According to your plan, maintain the length of exposed beading wire from the last station of beads.

f.        Squish the crimp with either a chain nose pliers or crimping pliers.

o        Do the “Finger Nail Test”. Use the finger nails of your thumb and forefinger to deliberately try to slide the crimp off. It shouldn’t budge at all.

g.      Snip the remaining beading wire as close to the crimp as possible with a good pair of wire cutters.