Simple One-strand Necklace
I was looking through the jewelry section of Instructables, and I was surprised that I didn't see any simple necklaces! So, I decided to make one. This is an easy, one-strand necklace, but it looks very professional. It shouldn't take you much time, aside from choosing the beads.
Materials
Materials:
~ Beads of your choice (you may want a charm/pendant)
~ Crimp beads
~ Crimp covers (clams)
~ Lobster clasps (or another kind)
~ String or wire
~ Jump rings
Tools:
~ Scissors
~ Crimper
~ Round-nose pliers (not needed, but nice to have)
~ Beads of your choice (you may want a charm/pendant)
~ Crimp beads
~ Crimp covers (clams)
~ Lobster clasps (or another kind)
~ String or wire
~ Jump rings
Tools:
~ Scissors
~ Crimper
~ Round-nose pliers (not needed, but nice to have)
Mealtime for the Clams
1. Cut some string 4 or 5 inches longer than you need it.
2. Smush a crimp bead with your crimper about 2 inches away from the end of the string. This is our 'pearl'.
3. Slide a clam on the long end of the string so that the 'mouth' is going to eat the pearl. It's gotta work for it's food!
4. Tread the short end of the string back through the clam's hole. Pull tight and close the clam.
2. Smush a crimp bead with your crimper about 2 inches away from the end of the string. This is our 'pearl'.
3. Slide a clam on the long end of the string so that the 'mouth' is going to eat the pearl. It's gotta work for it's food!
4. Tread the short end of the string back through the clam's hole. Pull tight and close the clam.
Put the Beads On
1. Slide your beads on, making cure the first 3 or 4 go on both the strings.
2. Trim the short string once you have 3 or 4 beads on it.
3. String on the rest of the beads, adding a charm halfway through if you want. I'll show you a different way to put on a charm, though.
If you can't figure out what beads you want, here's some tips:
2. Trim the short string once you have 3 or 4 beads on it.
3. String on the rest of the beads, adding a charm halfway through if you want. I'll show you a different way to put on a charm, though.
If you can't figure out what beads you want, here's some tips:
Bead ideas
Color: do you want…
· Contrasting colors like black and white, blue and orange, red and green, or purple and yellow?
· Similar colors like red and red-orange, green and teal, or black and gray?
· If you find some beads or a charm you really like, build off of that
Shapes and sizes:
· This all depends on your taste. I don’t like really big pendants, so I usually make necklaces with small or no pendant.
Clams Are Picky Eaters
1. Slide on a clam after your beads so that it doesn't eat the beads. They'll only eat crimp beads!
2. Slide a crimp next to that, and crimp it as close as possible so that your beads won't move around in your finished necklace. I find this easiest if you turn the clam sideways so it's mouth faces away from any beads, then slide the crimp right next to the clam and crimp it.
3. Thread the string back through the clam and through a few beads, trim. Close the clam with pliers.
4. With one of the lobsters, slide the hole at the bottom through the clam's hook and close the clam's hook with your pliers.
5. If you have a charm, see whether it already has a jump ring attached to it. If it doesn't, open a jump ring with your pliers and put the charm on it, then close the ring. Take the clam's hook and put it through the jump ring. Close the hook with pliers. To close your necklace, open the lobster and hook it on the charm's jump ring.
6. If you don't have a charm, get a jump ring. Put the clam's hook through your ring and close the hook.
7. DONE!
2. Slide a crimp next to that, and crimp it as close as possible so that your beads won't move around in your finished necklace. I find this easiest if you turn the clam sideways so it's mouth faces away from any beads, then slide the crimp right next to the clam and crimp it.
3. Thread the string back through the clam and through a few beads, trim. Close the clam with pliers.
4. With one of the lobsters, slide the hole at the bottom through the clam's hook and close the clam's hook with your pliers.
5. If you have a charm, see whether it already has a jump ring attached to it. If it doesn't, open a jump ring with your pliers and put the charm on it, then close the ring. Take the clam's hook and put it through the jump ring. Close the hook with pliers. To close your necklace, open the lobster and hook it on the charm's jump ring.
6. If you don't have a charm, get a jump ring. Put the clam's hook through your ring and close the hook.
7. DONE!