Zesty Wire Necklace

One of my magazine submissions this one, such fun colours, bright and zesty, perfect for summer.

You will need:

• Selection of Lampwork Beads ***
• 0.8mm Silver Wire (4m coil)
• 24-30 Closed Twisted 8mm Jump Rings
• 10g Matching Seed Beads - sz 11

*** I got the Lampwork beads in the photo from Tan Grey, you can find her HERE.

What you do:

• Take a 10cm piece of wire and bending it roughly into a third, loop a closed 8mm jump ring onto it. Bring the wire back around and wrap it twice round the stem.

• Thread a Lampwork bead onto the long length of wire, and form the shorter length into a curl and lay it flat on one side of the Lampwork bead. 

• Thread on a jump ring and bend the wire back over the back of the bead (opposite to the side with the curl).

• Wrap the wire twice around the stem as in Step 1, and form into a curl to sit on the same side as the first curl.

• Take a 50cm length of wire and using a knitting needle or mandrel approx 3mm in diameter, wind the wire tightly around it to form a coil.

• Cut the wound wire into pieces approx 20mm long, and file off any sharp edges. (You can also tuck the edges down so they touch the wire on the coil below).

• Take a 6cm piece of wire, bend a third and loop it onto a jump ring attached to your previously made Lampwork link.Wind the wire twice around the stem neatly. Cut off the excess with wire cutters.

• Add 9 seed beads, and then slide on of your coils over these beads.

• Add another jump ring to the end in the same manner as at the start of the link. This is your basic design, continue until the necklace is nice and long enough to slip over your head.

• You could also make a matching bracelet  :)

© Sue Simmons / The Bead Shed

2008