How to Make a Beautiful Beaded Eyeglass Chain

Create a beaded strand to hold eyeglasses that suits your style.

Design a beautiful eyeglass chain to accompany any wardrobe by using sparkling crystal beads combined with pearl beads in soft, complimentary shades. Any small bead or pearl works to make a beaded eyeglass chain, as long as you have the right end components. Look for materials and tools necessary to complete this project at craft stores, specialty bead stores and jewelry suppliers. Assembling the beaded eyeglass chain is not difficult.

Things You'll Need

• Soft monofilament line
• Scissors
• 2 eyeglass holder ends
• 2 crimp beads
• Crimping pliers
• 4mm crystal bicone beads
• 4mm glass pearl beads
• 2 crimp bead covers

Instructions

1. Cut a 28-inch long strand of soft monofilament line. This length can give you a beaded eyeglass chain that's 26 inches long, spanning from one end of the eyeglass temple -- the pieces that fit over your ears -- to the other. Adjust the length to suit your personal style.

2. Insert 1 inch of one end of the monofilament line through the smallest section of one eyeglass holder end. Eyeglass holder ends resemble a figure 8, with a metal connector holding the center intact. The largest section of the figure 8 fits over the eyeglass temple.

3. Fold the line over the eyeglass holder end. Slide a crimp bead over the open line and over the folded line, to the eyeglass holder end. Press the crimp bead with crimping pliers. The metal crimp bead will hold the monofilament line intact around the eyeglass holder.

4. Slide two 4mm crystal bicone beads followed by one 4mm glass pearl bead over the open end to the crimped bead. Multi-colored crystals and pearls make a beautiful eyeglass chain that coordinates with any wardrobe. Repeat the pattern to fill the monofilament line, up to 1 inch from the end.

5. Slide a crimp bead over the open line. Fold the line over the remaining eyeglass holder end. Feed the end of the line down through the crimp bead and then through the first few bead in the chain. Crimp the bead.

6. Fit a crimp bead cover over each crimped bead. Press the crimp bead cover closed with crimping pliers.

Tips & Warnings

• Alter the bead style from crystals to gemstones to change the look of the eyeglass holder. Multicolored pearl beads also make a beautiful eyeglass holder design.

References

• BHG: Beaded Eyeglass Chain

Resources

• Jewelry Making: How to Use Crimping Pliers