How to Make a Basic Bead and Chain Necklace

This is a good project for a teenager, and it also makes a great gift. This pattern makes a necklace approximately 25 inches long.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Jewelry Beads
• Jewelry Supplies
• Plastic Dips
• Bead Design Boards
• Beading Needle
• Jewelry Wire
• Pliers
• Pliers For Jewelry Making
• Safety Glasses
• Pliers
• Safety Glasses

1. Choose a weight of chain to match your bead size. If you are using delicate beads, choose a small, light chain.

2. Cut six pieces of chain, 3 inches long.

3. Make five "bead on a wire" sets. See "How to Make a Bead on Wire Bracelet or Anklet" in the Related eHows for instructions.

4. Attach the ring of the clasp to one piece of the chain. To do this, use small, needle-nosed pliers to gently pull one of the rings on the chain apart. Put the clasp ring in place, then use your needle-nosed pliers to close the ring.

5. Attach one of the bead sets by hooking the loop eye to the chain and closing it with pliers.

6. Continue by alternating one chain, one bead set and so forth until you have used all six sets of chain and the five bead sets in a continuous chain.

7. Finish the necklace by attaching the other end of the clasp to the chain with your needle-nosed pliers.

Tips & Warnings

• Squeeze the pliers gently on the wire. Otherwise, you will create a rough area that could catch on your clothes or scratch your skin. It's best to use round-nosed pliers as much as possible to prevent nicks. If you need to use flat, jaw-type pliers, you can purchase a plastic material to coat the jaws.
• You can use the same materials to make a Y necklace. In place of the bead set at the very bottom of the chain, attach a jump ring and then a drop.
• Let the bead sets dangle from your chain by attaching them with jump rings. For this, you could use a pre-made necklace.
• Wire can shoot across the room when you cut it. It's best to wear safety glasses to prevent any wire pieces from hitting you in the eye.

[write4grammy]

on 8/4/2009 Good instructions! If you don't have safety glasses, try cupping your hand over the wire that you're cutting. You'll keep the wire from flying and you won't waste your time trying to find that piece of wire later.