How to Make a Crazy-Cut Shell Beads Necklace
Creating a custom necklace is a fun and addictive hobby. It is a fabulous way to show off your creative side, and tell a story about yourself. Shell beads make a unique necklace that can be worn by men, women, or children. Making a shell necklace is a creative adventure, and do to the variety of shell beads, the design choice will be more difficult than the creation.
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Things You'll Need
- Bead board
- Ruler
- Soft-flex wire
- Wire cutter
- Clasp
- Crimping pliers
- Crimping beads
- Cut shell beads
Instructions
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1
Lay the beadboard on a flat surface. Begin placing the shell beads along the outer indentation of the board. Start at the center, and work your way up either side to the appropriate length.
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2
Use the ruler to measure a piece of wire 3 inches longer than you want your necklace. Cut the wire with the wire cutters. A good start for women is 16 inches for a shorter necklace or 18 inches for a longer necklace. Men will want to go 18 or 20 inches depending on the neck size. Add the additional 3 inches to this length.
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3
Loop one end of the wire through the hole in the clasp. Place the other end of the wire through the crimp bead, and bring it down to the clasp. Insert the other end of the wire through the bead as well. About 1/2 inch should stick out from the crimp bead, and there should be a little wiggle room between the clasp and the crimp bead.
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4
Hold the crimp bead near the clasp, and place the bead in the center of the crimping pliers. The indentation should be on the bottom of the pliers. Crimp down. Now rotate the bead so that the indentation in the crimp bead faces the opening of the pliers. Crimp once more.
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5
Starting at one end of your bead board, begin to string the beads onto the wire. Make sure to string them over the loose end at the clasp. When you come to the end, add another crimp bead. Place the other end of the clasp onto the wire, and loop it through the crimp bead. Pull the loose end tight, but leave a little wiggle room between the clasp and crimp bead. Use the pliers to crimp the bead as you did in step four. Cut the extra wire as close as possible to the beads with the wire cutters.
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Tips & Warnings
Be creative and use an assortment of beads. If you can't find crimping pliers, regular pliers will work. Rotate in the same fashion. If you aren't sure of the length measure the wire loosely around your neck.
It's better to go too long with wire than too short. You can cut off the excess.
Resources
- Photo Credit Judith Williams
