How to Make Easy Woven Bead Necklaces
Use a right-angle bead weaving technique to easily make a woven bead necklace. With this technique, pearls, crystals and other 4mm or smaller beads are woven together to create a simple pattern that looks complicated. This right-angle-weave beading technique relies on repetitive steps to create a necklace or bracelet strand. Select a decorative clasp as the center pendant, or use a vintage button or earring to add distinctive flair.
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Things You'll Need
- Soft monofilament line
- Measuring tape
- Scissors
- 4mm round crystal beads, two colors
- Clasp
- Jeweler's glue
Instructions
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1
Cut a 7-foot-long strip of soft monofilament line. You can use fishing line, but soft monofilament line is better for beading a right-angle-weave necklace as it will knot better at the end.
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2
Thread one 4mm round crystal bead to the center of the 7-foot line. Whichever color of bead that you choose will now be the A beads. The remaining color of 4mm round crystal beads will be the B beads for the purposes of this pattern. Make sure that both ends of the line are even.
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3
Hold the line exiting the right side of the bead in your right hand and hold the line exiting the left side of the bead in your left hand. Whenever the directions specify to cross the line through a bead, switch the lines in your hands after making the cross.
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4
Thread two B beads and one more A bead over the line to the left of the center bead. The beads should fall to meet the center bead. Cross the end of the line in your right hand through the last A bead that you added. Switch hands so that the line in your right hand is now in your left hand. Pull the right line all the way through the A bead so that the beads form a circle in the center of the line.
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5
Thread one A bead and two B beads over the line in your left hand. The beads should fall to meet the circle of beads. Cross the line in your right hand through the last B bead that you added. Switch the hands holding the lines. Pull the right line all the way through the B bead.
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6
Thread two A beads and one B bead over the line in your right hand. Cross the line in your left hand through the last B bead that you added. Switch hands. Pull the lines taut. The last B bead added should rest against the second B bead added in Step 4. Insert the line in your right hand through the second B bead from Step 4.
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7
Add two A beads over the line in your right hand. Cross the line in your left hand through the last A bead that you added. Switch hands. Pull the lines taut.
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8
Thread two B beads and one A bead onto the left line. Cross the right line through the last A bead added. Switch hands. Pull the lines taut. The last A bead added should rest against an A bead from Step 6. Thread the line in your right hand through the adjacent A bead from Step 6. Pull the line taut.
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9
Add two B beads onto the line in your right hand. Cross the left line through the last B bead added. Switch hands. Pull the lines taut.
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10
Thread two A beads and one B bead onto the line in your right hand. Cross the left line through the last B bead added. Switch hands. Pull the lines taut. The last B bead added should be resting against a B bead from Step 8. Thread the line in your left hand back through the B bead from Step 8. Add two A beads to the line in your left hand. Cross the line in your right hand through the last A bead added. You have completed one section of the woven necklace.
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11
Repeat previous steps to complete the desired length of the necklace. If you run out of line, add equal lengths to each end with a surgeon's knot.
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12
Tie the clasp ends onto either end of the woven strand with a separate 6-inch strand of monofilament line. A double-overhand knot will work to hold the clasp in place. Cover each knot with a drop of jeweler's glue.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit beads image by Gina Smith from Fotolia.com
