How to Make Unique Jewelry

A necklace made with clustered crystal beads that look like dainty flowers surrounded by a silver chain is sure to garner many compliments. Each compliment you receive will boost your jewelry-making confidence. Better yet, making a flower necklace and earrings is not that complicated.

Things You'll Need

• 22 Faceted light pink, pear-shaped briolettes (6 mm. by 6 mm. by 3 mm.) 1 Faceted light pink pear-shaped briolette (12 mm. by 9 mm. by 5 mm.) 9 Silver spacer beads (3 mm.) 24-Inch silver chain (2 mm. links) Closure clasp 9 Silver jump rings (2 mm.) 18 Inches silver beading wire (26 gauge) 2 Silver earring findings Round nose pliers Needle nose pliers Wire cutters

Instructions

Make a Necklace and Earrings

1. Cut the 18-inch beading wire into 9 2-inch pieces with the wire cutters. Seven lengths will be used in the necklace. Set the other two lengths aside for the earrings.

2. Place three briolettes onto one segment of wire. Push the last bead to approximately ½ inch from the end of the beading wire.

3. Bend the wire by crossing the long end of wire over the short end of wire. This will press the briolettes together tip to tip to form a clover shape.

4. Twist the wire ends together several times to secure the tight clover cluster. Twist the wire ends to create a stem that is approximately ¼ inch long. Trim the short end of the wire off at the twist.

5. Place a silver spacer bead onto the long wire end and push it snug against the clover cluster. This should effectively hide most of the twisted wire.

6. Form a loop in the end of the wire right above the silver spacer bead with the round nose pliers. Wrap the end of the wire tightly around the loop at the base of the loop right above the silver spacer bead. Trim off excess wire.

7. Repeat steps two through six to make five more clusters (three more for the necklace, and two for the earrings).

8. Repeat steps two through six to make one more cluster. For this cluster, use the large briolette for the center bead in the clover cluster.

9. Place a small briolettes onto one of the remaining lengths of wire. Bend the ends of the wire up and cross them at the top of the briolette. Twist the wire ends together several times to create a stem that is approximately ¼ inch long. Trim the short end of the wire at the twist. Place a silver spacer bead onto the long end and push it snug against the briolette. This should effectively hide most of the twisted wire. Form a loop in the wire end right above the silver spacer bead with the round nose pliers. Wrap the end of the wire tightly around the loop at the base of the loop above the silver spacer bead. Trim off excess wire. Repeat this step with the remaining briolette and length of beading wire.

10. Attach the briolette cluster that contains the large briolette to the center link of the chain with a silver jump ring. Open the jump ring with the needle nose pliers and place the loop of the briolette cluster and the link of the chain onto the jump ring. Close the jump ring.

11. Attach four smaller clover clusters onto the chain in the same fashion. Space the clover clusters approximately 1 ½ inches apart. Attach the single briolettes approximately 1 ½ inches apart from the clover clusters.

12. Attach one half of the closure clasp to one end of the chain and the other end of the closure clasp to the other end of the chain with silver jump rings.

13. Use the two remaining clover clusters to make the earrings. Attach one clover cluster to a silver jump ring and attach the silver jump ring to the loop of an earring finding. Close the jump ring with the needle nose pliers. Repeat to make the second earring.