Parts and Pieces (Part One)

Left: Pliers.  Right: Cutters.

Now we really get into it.  To make your own necklace “from scratch” you need several tools and supplies.  The most important tools (and the only ones I’ve ever needed to use) are jewelry pliers and wire cutters.  You can get them wherever the sell jewelry or craft stuff.  

Left: Crimp Beads  Middle: Clasp  Right: Flathead and Eye Hook Pins

Depending on the type of necklace you want to make, you might need a lot of parts and pieces or just a few.  The necklaces I’ll show this time need a few things such as jump rings, clasps, chain, eye hook pins and flathead pins. 

Jump Rings: various sizes.

Silver and gold chain.

A closeup showing how to connect all 3 parts.

The first necklace, “All White,” is an easy way to start.  For this one, I got the beads (already strung) at Wal-Mart.  You can find some nice beads there once in a while.  Because these beads were already strung, half the wok was already done, but that also means that you have to cut it apart to adjust the length and add layers as I did.  

The finished "All White".

Measure out how long you would like each side to be and then detach one bead from the other.  To do this, you use your pliers to pull open the eye hook at the end of the bead just enough to slip it off. Then you can attach the ends, four in the case of this necklace, to jump rings.  Open the jump ring like you did for the eye hooks and slide each bead on.  One side will also have the clasp.  After that you can hook the clasp to the other jump ring and you’re done!

Closeup of "Turquoise" showing how to connect to the pendant.

For this necklace, “The Turquoise,” you do much the same things expect that there is the added complication of the pendant.  I also found these beads and the pendant at Wal-Mart so the beads were already strung.  I cut eight equal lengths (four on each side) and then used an eye hook to place in the pendant and connect both sides.  The original eye hook was too long so I had to cut it using the cutters.  *Beware, put a box or something in front of where you’re cutting it, so it’ll hit the box and not go flying across the table.*  You then need to take the cut side and using your pliers, curl it into a circle, to match the opposite end.

Finished "Turquoise".

Once that is done, you can attach jump rings (big ones because you will be putting so many strands of beads on each end) and connect them to the eye hook on the pendant.  Then you can start attaching the strands.  After that, you will do the same thing you did on the previous necklace, attaching all the strands to more jump rings as well as the clasp.  That’s another fairly easy necklace!

Bottom of "Blue Drop" showing flathead pin.

Here’s one last necklace, simpler than the previous one "Blue Drop".  For this one, you need one pendant/bead, some chain, jump rings, a clasp and a flathead pin.  I got the bead at Surf City Beads.  They offer a better variety of beads (more unique ones), but they’re a small shop, so it’s kind of expensive. 

Finished "Blue Drop".

Measure out the length of chain you want and detach it from the rest by using the pliers.  Some types of chain won’t have an already cut place, so you can easily open it.  If that’s the case, then use the cutters to cut the link in the chain and then you can open it and remove it.  Next put the bead onto the flathead pin and either cut the length to make it shorter or just curl the end to make the hook.  You can then directly attach the bead to the chain like I did or you can use a jump ring.  Afterwards just add a jump ring to each end of the chain and then a clasp to one jump ring.  That’s it! 

Part Two will have some more already strung necklaces as well as some that you will have to string yourself, bead by bead.  Have fun!