How to Make a Lariat Necklace

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By Peggy Hazelwood
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Lariat Necklace

According to Jewelry5.com, a lariat necklace is a necklace without a clasp, worn looped around the neck with open ends that may be tied into a loose knot, fastened with a ring or a brooch, or tied with a "lariat loop". The lariat necklace I made uses the open end of a toggle clasp on one end and strung beads on the other end.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

jewelry wire, I like fine Soft Flex
crimp beads or tubes
beads
toggle clasp (only the round end, not the bar end)
jewelry wire cutter
jewelry flat nose pliers

Step 1

Jewelry wire cutter and flat nose pliers.

Determine how long you want your lariat necklace to be by draping a string or tape measure around your neck to simulate how the lariat will hang. Measure and cut a piece of jewelry wire, adding 3 inches more than the desired necklace length. Using your jewelry wire cutter, cut the wire. I used 30 inches of jewelry wire for the lariat I made.
Step 2

Jewelry wire with 2 crimp tubes and clasp.

String two crimp tubes on one end of the wire. String the toggle clasp on the same end of the wire keeping the tubes above the clasp on the wire. Move the crimp tubes and the clasp up the wire an inch or two, and loop the same end of the wire over the clasp and up through the crimp tubes. This will hold the clasp onto the wire. Crimp or flatten the crimp tubes securely. BE SURE to leave a small loop with enough slack next to the clasp so the wire can move freely. BE SURE the wire is not tight against the clasp or the necklace will be stiff at that point.
Step 3

The bead pattern on one end of the lariat.

Determine what your bead pattern will be. Begin stringing the beads on the wire. Use beads with a large enough hole to string the "tail" back into beads (large enough holes are needed for double wire to fit through). For my bead pattern, I used three mosaic shell beads, a tiger jasper fluted gemstone bead, three more shell beads, another jasper bead, five shell beads, then another jasper bead. I finished the lariat necklace by stringing shell beads nearly all the rest of the way around.
Step 4

The second end of the lariat ready to be finished off.

When you get to the other end of the lariat, begin adding beads for the pattern on that end. I varied the pattern by adding more shell beads on the second end than I had on the first end. The pattern you create with the beads is where you can get creative.
Step 5

String two more crimp beads on the end of the wire. Move the end of the wire up through both crimp tubes. Make sure at this end the wire is taunt without much slack. String the "tail" up through the shell beads (or whatever you're using) before you crimp these crimp tubes. When it feels right, not too loose or tight, crimp the tubes to close off the second end of the lariat. Trim the wire that extends out one of the beads.
Step 6

Ensure your beads will fit through the clasp opening.

Your lariat is complete! Drape it over your neck and slide the loose end through the opening in the clasp. Adjust it so it feels comfortable. Before stringing all of your beads, be sure to slip the beads through the clasp opening to ensure they will easily fit. Beads that are too large will not go through and you'll have to start over.