Leaf Pendant Necklace

Ever wondered what to do with that vertically drilled bead?  Sometimes they are just a bit to awkward to do much with.  Well what about this funky necklace?

You will need:

• 75cm 2x3mm link chain 
• 1.5m Silver Tigertail Beading Wire 
• 12 Crimp Beads 
• 1 Lobster Clasps 
• 1 x 6mm Jump Rings 
• 15g Sz 6 Seed Beads 
• 10g Sz 8 Seed Beads 
• 1 Large Hole Focal Leaf Bead 
• 4 Small Glass Leaf Charms

What you do:

• With Wire Cutters, cut 56cm of chain. 
• Cut a length of Tigertail 60mm long , thread on a crimp bead then through the end of your Lobster Clasp & through the last link in the length of chain, then back through the crimp bead. 

• Squeeze the crimp bead hard with crimping pliers or flat nose pliers to grip securely. 

• Onto the Tigertail, thread enough Sz 6 Seed Beads to make the same length of beads as the chain.

• At the end add a crimp bead, then go through a jump ring, back through the crimp bead (pulling taught) & a few seed beads. Squeeze the crimp and trim off the excess wire.

• Go back to the Clasp end and add another length of wire as in Step 2. String enough Sz 8 Seed Beads to match the length of the other strands.

• Add to the same Jump Ring as in Step 5.

• Open the Jump ring and slide off the strands. Keep the Jump Ring safe as you will be putting it back very soon.

• Go back to the Clasp end and loosely plait the three strands together, each time passing the outer strand over the middle one. 

• Pull all the ends together with the Jump Ring from Step 8, and close to secure.

• Take a 15cm length of Tigertail and onto the centre string 19 alternate Sz 8 & Sz 6 Seed Beads. Slide a crimp bead onto both strands and squeeze in place to form a loop. MAKE TWO OF THESE.

• Using the leftover length of chain, and putting the two loops of beads together from Step 11 thread the chain through it so it falls equally on each side.

• Thread both the looped wires and both strands of chain through the focal leaf.

• Onto each four strands of the Tigertail wire thread a few Seed Beads followed by a Crimp Bead, and a glass leaf charm, then thread back up through the crimp and a few beads. Squeeze the crimp and trim off the excess wire.

• To finish, simply thread onto your plaited necklace.

© S Simmons, The Bead Shed, 2008