How to Re-String (or Make) a Necklace

A few summers ago, I found this coral necklace at a yard sale for a buck!  I loved the length, but hated that the coral was strung on a ratty cord that ended in a knot.

It didn't look polished and even though I gave it a good wash, I totally grossed myself out thinking about how much neck sweat was trapped in that cord, so I never wore it.  I finally decided to re-string it and add a clasp.

Here's how to re-string a necklace (it's super easy!):

Supplies:

• Necklace to re-string (or beads for a new project)
• Beadalon brand coated wire
• 2 crimp beads
• Clasp (this magnetic one is cool)
• Crimp pliers (a good investment if you'd like to make your own jewellery)
• Wire cutters or scissors
 

Steps:

String a crimp bead onto the coated wire and then add one end of the clasp.  Thread the wire back through the crimp.  Using the small indentation in the crimp pliers, bend the crimp into a "C" shape.  If you don't have crimp pliers, you can buy a small crimp and just squash it flat with needle nosed pliers, but using the crimp pliers creates a tidier, more secure closure.  Occasionally, a squashed crimp would fail, which is why I finally invested in this tool. 

Using the larger indentation of the crimp pliers, fold the "C" shaped crimp bead onto itself, clamping it tightly.

Then, simply string on your beads, burying the end of the bead wire in the necklace.

When you get to the end, thread on a crimp bead and the other half of the clasp.  Pull the coated wire through a few beads and pull tightly.  Trim the end of the wire and bury the tail in the necklace.

Repeat the process for securing the crimp bead, and you're done!

With this simple technique, you can make striking necklaces and bracelets from scratch, or re-work pieces you own, in minutes! 

A note about coral: Coral is a marine invertebrate that lives in colonies.  These colonies form a hard skeleton and the skeleton of this sea creature is what is used for coral jewellery.  Coral is important to marine life but is being harvested indiscriminately, which is a serious problem and could lead to depletion.  This is why coral jewellery can be unethical to wear and I was conflicted about purchasing this piece.  Truthfully, I'm not sure if my necklace is real or faux, but it seems a waste not to enjoy it.  I bring this up because the use of coral is problematic, so to ignore this issue would be irresponsible on my part.  If you're interested, you can read more about coral here.   

DIY Aquamarine Tassel Necklace

In May I felt the urge to make some jewellery but because I'm trying my best to budget, I vowed to steer clear of the craft stores and use supplies I already have.  Luckily I found some gems in my stash (haha): pretty aquamarine chips, to be specific, plus some filigree bead caps from a pair of vintage chandelier earrings.  I lit a fire on a chilly afternoon, turned the music up loud enough to drown out honking geese, and plonked down at the dining table (facing the lake, naturally).  After an afternoon of blissful crafting, I felt so recharged!  Plus I have a sweet new necklace to wear with summer tops and dresses (or, if I'm being honest, the black t-shirt/grey cardi combo I lived in all spring).

This necklace was really simple to make!  If you're feeling crafty, I've listed all of the supplies I used below, but you can use any kind of beads or stones.

Supplies:

Aquamarine chips (but they don't need to be chips - these faceted ones are even prettier)
Gold eye pins
Flat filigree bead cap - needs places to affix the dangling chains for the tassel
A second, more spherical bead cap - should be smaller than the flatter bead cap
Pearl or other bead to fit inside the second bead cap (optional, you could skip the centre chain)
Needle nosed pliers
Wire cutters (or use the cutter on your pliers)

A note about the supplies: the number of beads and eye pins you require will depend on how long you'd like your necklace, and how big of a tassel you'd like.  For my project, I used approximately 200 eye pins and stone chips.  You will inevitably squash some eye pins and some stone chips won't have evenly drilled holes, so buy a little bit more than you think you'll need.

Steps:

Grab an eye pin, slide on a aquamarine stone bead, trim the wire, and form a loop (see this post of mine for a clear tutorial on loop-making).  Before you gently close the loop with your pliers, slip on the loop from the next eye pin.

Repeat a zillion times until you've formed a chain long enough to slip over your head (or you can stop and add a clasp for a shorter necklace at any point).

For the tassel, I used an eye pin, two bead caps, and a pearl.  It's easy: thread the pearl onto an eye pin, then add the smaller bead cap, and then the larger.  This will form the base for the tassel.  I was overzealous and already started to make my tassel before I snapped a photo, so here is the same idea with a glass bead instead:

Next, create a series of smaller chains, using the steps above.  Dangling from my pearl - the centre of the tassel - is a chain with five stones.  On the smaller bead cap are a series of chains with 6 stones each, hooked onto the edges of the cap.  For the largest bead cap, I have chains with 7 stones.  This way, the lengths of the chains are very similar.  But you can shake things up.  As I finished each mini strand, I simply hooked it onto the edge of the filigree bead cap and gently closed the loop - so it's key that your bead cap has a place to affix the beaded chains.

When it's completed, the tassel looks like this:

For the ends of the tassel chains you can use a straight pin so you don't end with a loop, but I didn't have any so I just used eye pins.  I seriously just ordered a pricey planter from Modernica, but didn't want to spring for straight pins.  I penny pinch in the weirdest ways.

My Mom was kind enough to snap a photo of me wearing my fancy new necklace...

But then all of a sudden she was wearing it.  I think I might be making a second one...

I'm really quite besotted with aquamarine  - no surprise, given my penchant for mint and aqua - and I'm so happy I finally found a use for these beads!  I've been hoarding them since 2009 (I'm hanging my head in shame).

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DIY Beaded Napkin Rings - Easy Tutorial + Video

There are so many things to love about this beaded napkin ring project: it's easy, conducive to messy crafting (it doesn't need to be perfect to look good), and potentially very thrifty (you can snag beads on clearance or cut apart old jewellery and scavenge the beads).  Plus it works as a cute DIY cuff bracelet, according to Vanessa - who suggested that this handmade napkin ring could be a fun take home favor for a casual dinner party with girlfriends.

Read on for step-by-step instructions with photos, or take a peek at the video below for quick instruction for making these napkin rings (and my dip dyed napkins.)

Supplies:

• A spool of 24 gauge wire (makes four, for six you'll need a spool and a half)
• A spool of 16 gauge wire
• Needle nosed pliers (2 pairs makes this easier)
• Wire cutters
• Beads (see below for links)**
• Bottle (empty, full - doesn't matter, it's to shape the cuff)

**A note about the beads: mine were drilled through the end, while most beads are drilled end to end. You can use any style or kind or bead you like, but to create the sea anemone feel, the end drilled beads stand up nicely.  Check your local craft stores, but if you're striking out, I did find some similar looking end drilled coconut shell sticks online, in aqua and blue, that would look really beachy.  These shell beads are also similar, but in a much more natural colour palette. 

Steps:

To begin, cut about 14-16 inches of the 16 gauge wire and gently form a circle, wrapping the wire back on itself to secure the shape.

Take the circle you've created and flatten in a bit, so you've got a really elongated oval.  Flatten the twisted ends a bit with your pliers, because you don't want them sticking up and poking your linens (or wrist).  This is where two pairs of pliers come in handy.

 
Gently wrap the oval around a bottle to form a cuff shape.  You can re-shape it later, so it doesn't need to be perfect.  Make as many of these forms as you need and set aside.

To start wrapping, anchor the 24 gauge wire by wrapping it around one side of the cuff shape a few times.  Flatten any pokey ends with the pliers.  Wrap the 24 gauge wire once around one side of the 16 gauge wire cuff, then bring it across to the other side, wrap around the other side - back and forth.  Because I was on a budget and happened to fall in love with the most expensive beads ever, I didn't wrap the beads all the way around.  The bottom and sides are wire with a few turquoise beads here and there, while the dyed shell beads are really lush and full on the top.  You can arrange the beads however you please and can start adding the beads anytime in this process. 

Because I used beads with a hole drilled at one end of the long shape, I decided to "lift" the beads up a little and give them life so that the finished product has an organic feel - like some sort of sea anemone.  To achieve this look, in the midst of wrapping the wire back and forth across the cuff, I grabbed a bead, twisted the wire, and kept wrapping.  Every now and then I stopped to adjust the beads, twisting them a bit and nudging them into facing random directions.

This was my first time doing wire work like this, and my wraps aren't perfect but because I wanted a napkin ring that felt relaxed and organic, I am going to vehemently argue that the imperfections add to the casual, beachy look.

;)

This was a great craft project to do while my brain was otherwise engaged - perfect for in front of the television.  Actually, I was dyeing a pair of jeans while I made one of these.  I had to stay by the washing machine to keep setting the cycle back to ensure the jeans were agitated in the dye bath for a full half hour.  I set my supplies on the washer and whipped one of these up standing in the laundry room. (Multi-tasking for the win.)

I love how these beaded napkin rings turned out!  They catch the light beautifully and add the perfect beachy, seaside feel to a summery tablescape.

Here's another look at the napkin rings paired with the dip dyed napkins I made.  I loved the beads because they tied together the blue and aqua accessories perfectly.  

For more photos of my tablescape with Canadian Tire and CANVAS, and some awkward videos of me, check out all of the posts about my "Backyard Oasis".  This was such a fun collaboration!

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