How to String Dancing Pearls

Make sophisticated, romantic jewelry from dancing pearls.

Dancing pearl jewelry is made by stringing teardrop pearls. These are either freshwater pearls or man-made and are drilled at the top instead of through the center. This allows them to "dance," or dangle from the jewelry. Potato-shaped freshwater pearls are also sometimes used but are not as uniform in size or shape as the teardrop pearls. Stringing dancing pearls can create jewelry with a sophisticated and romantic style, especially fashionable for accessorizing wedding attire.

Things You'll Need

• Beading wire
• Necklace toggle clasp
• 2 4mm jump rings
• Crimping beads
• Small metal spacer beads
• Potato or teardrop pearls (holes drilled at one end)
• Wire cutters
• Flat-nose pliers
• Chain-nose pliers
• Ruler

Instructions

1. Measure and cut 24 inches of the beading wire. Slide one crimping bead followed by one jump ring onto the wire.

2. Bend the last inch of wire back toward the longer portion and slide it through the crimp bead. This will create a loop at the end on which the jump ring is attached.

3. Push the crimp bead close to the jump ring, then crimp it around the wire with the chain-nose pliers. This secures the wire so it will not slip out from the bead.

4. Hold the jump ring to one side of the opening, using pliers. Hold the other side of the ring with another pair of pliers and pull that side away from you, opening the jump ring enough to place the toggle on it. Move the pulled side back in place to close the jump ring.

5. Slide the beads alternating between pearls and metal spacer beads onto the beading wire, beginning with a pearl bead. End with a pearl bead when you reach the last 2 to 3 inches of wire. Stringing the pearls with spacer beads gives the pearls room to lay without hitting one another.

6. Slide a crimp bead and jump ring onto the wire, repeating steps 2 to 4 to place the other part of the toggle clasp onto the pearl strand.

Tips & Warnings

• Also alter the bead pattern by including crystal beads, round pearls, or others between the dancing pearls.

• Small round spacers or flat daisy spacers both work well for stringing between dancing pearls.

• Use this to also string a dancing pearl bracelet, using a 10- to 11-inch length of beading wire. The average finished bracelet measures 7 inches and large measures 8 to 8½ inches long.

Resources

• Fire Mountain Gems: Free Beading Instructions