How to Make a Beach Glass Necklace
If you possess a beach glass collection and would like to take it a step further than displaying it in a jar, craft a beach glass illusion necklace. Search through the collection for two pieces of chunky, elliptical shaped glass. One piece will be for a practice run and the other will be for the actual necklace design. This beach glass necklace will accent your wardrobe, remind you of sunny beach days and bring your beach glass collection closer to your heart.
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Things You'll Need
- Safety goggles and gloves
- Sponge
- Plastic container
- Craft drill
- Diamond coated drill bits
- Bead board
- Beach glass piece, chunky
- 19 inches clear beading wire, .010-inch diameter
- Sterling Silver lobster claw
- 14 6mm glass beads
- 2 6 mm sterling silver beads, round
- 32 crimp beads, sterling silver
- Crimping pliers
- Fine-grit sandpaper
Instructions
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Drill the Beach Glass
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1
Lay the beach glass on its side and with a gel pen mark a spot where the hole is to be drilled. Place the mark at the thickest point of the beach glass so it will function like a bead.
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2
Fill a shallow container partially with water and lay the sponge at the bottom so that it is covered. Set the marked beach glass on top of the sponge. At an angle, carefully drill a small groove. With light pressure, drill halfway through the beach glass.
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3
Rotate the glass so that the first drill mark is touching the sponge. Add more water to the container if needed. With careful precision, drill the other side. Smooth any rough edges with fine-grit sandpaper. Wash the beach glass and set to dry.
Thread the Necklace
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4
Arrange the beading pattern onto a beading board. There should be one crimp bead on either side of one glass bead. Set the washed and drilled beach glass at the center of the design with two silver beads. Place one crimp bead on each end of the silver ones.
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5
Thread one crimp bead onto the wire. Next, slide the lobster claw ring onto the wire and push the wire end back through the crimp bead. Use the crimping pliers to gently flatten the bead.
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6
Sequence a pattern of one crimp bead, one glass bead and another crimp bead onto the wire. Group them together 1 inch from the initial lobster clasp end. Steady the glass bead and secure both crimp beads on either side.
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7
String the pattern to the middle point of the wire. Then, slide on one crimp bead, one round bead, the drilled beach glass, the other round bead and finally, another crimp bead. Firmly fix the crimp beads on each side of the glass and continue upward with the pattern keeping a distance of 1 inch between groupings.
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8
Place the last crimp bead on the wire, leaving enough wire to finish the necklace. Add the lobster claw and insert the wire end back through the crimp bead. Lightly compress the crimp bead to finish.
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1
Tips & Warnings
If drilling a piece of beach glass is not a possibility, purchase pre-drilled authentic beach glass online at sites such as West Coast Sea Glass or By the Sea Jewelry (see References). Substitute flexible silver wire for the necklace to create a different effect.
Always wear safety goggles and gloves when working with glass.
