How to Make Beaded Necklaces With Clasps

Bead supplies

Instead of shopping online or in the mall looking for the perfect necklace, make your own. Be artistic. Design a beaded necklace with clasp. It makes a striking accessory to your wardrobe. Get inspired. Splashes of bold red combined with a spark of silver will adorn your neck in elegance. Create one for yourself. Make one as a gift. Follow the directions below and have a 16-inch beaded necklace ready to wear in an hour.

Things You'll Need

• 14 silver square spacers, 2mm
• 29 red stone round beads, 4mm
• 16 flat, oval red glass beads, 6mm
• 15 frosted white glass bicone beads, 2mm
• 15 silver-flowered spacers
• 2 silver crimp beads, 1.5mm
• 1 rectangular or oval bead of choice, plain or with design
• 1 silver headpin, 1 inch
• 1 lobster claw clasp
• 19 inches Accu-flex beading wire, .015-inch diameter
• Round nose pliers
• Crimp pliers
• Wire nippers
• Piece of felt or towel

Instructions

1. 

   Lay down a piece of felt or towel on a table surface to prevent beads from rolling onto the floor. Arrange beads as follows: red oval glass bead, silver square spacer, frosted bicone, red stone, flowered spacer and red stone. Place them in a curve going upward to resemble the actual 16-inch necklace when finished. Repeat the pattern until all the beads are used.

2. 

   String one crimp bead ½ inch from the end of beading wire, then attach lobster claw clasp. Push the wire over the lobster ring and back in through the crimp bead. Hold the crimp bead and wire steady with one hand. With the other hand, use crimp pliers to compress the bead. Then gently open the crimp bead out again with the crimp pliers.

3. 

   String your pattern starting with the red oval glass bead until all the beads have been used.

4. 

   String the last crimp bead, same as in step two, ½ inch from the end of beading wire. Attach jump ring of the lobster claw clasp. Push the wire over the jump ring and back through the crimp bead. Hold steady with one hand or lay onto table to keep beads on wire. Crimp the crimp bead. Gently open it out again with the crimp pliers. With nippers, trim any excess wire.

5. 

   To make a pendant, thread the rectangular or oval bead onto the headpin. Add one flowered spacer bead and one red stone bead. Bend the headpin at the top with round nose pliers to make a wrapped loop, partially open. Attach the pendant to the middle of the necklace. Close loop. Cut away any excess wire. Your piece is complete.

Tips & Warnings

• Experiment. Change the color or style of the beads for a totally different look.

• If you have small children or pets, watch beads so that they don't fall on the floor.

Resources

• Art Beads
• Fire Mountain Gems and Beads
• FusionBeads.com