How to Make a Family Birthstone Necklace
People give jewelry for many different gift-giving occasions, including birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries and graduations. For a mother, a piece of jewelry that recognizes each member of her family at once can be especially meaningful. However, sometimes purchasing a necklace that incorporates multiple gemstones can be too costly. Creating your own family birthstone necklace will allow you to save money and give Mom something customized just for her. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Cut nylon cord or jewelry wire to size. Necklace sizing varies depending on the look you would like to achieve. Many necklaces range from 15 to 22 inches. Cut the cord or wire a bit longer than you want your finished product to be to account for attaching clasps.
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Choose the beads that you will use to represent the birthstones. Each month has a specific gemstone as its birthstone. For instance, January's birthstone is garnet, and so you will require a dark red bead. April's birthstone is diamond, and so you'll need a clear or white bead. May requires dark green to represent an emerald, while November requires yellow to represent citrine. Crystal beads will create more of a gemstone look than solid, opaque beads.
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Use larger beads for adults, if you'd like to visually separate the adults in the family from the children.
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String the beads. Some people like to place beads in birth order for the children. If you have chosen to use larger beads for the adults, you can place the adults' beads in the middle of the children or you can place them on the outsides. Alternatively, you can string the beads in the order of the months, or in an order in which the colors look best. Experiment to see which order you prefer.
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Tie the clasps. Once you have settled on the order of your beads, you are ready to finish the necklace. Tie each of the two jewelry clasp pieces, one on each end of the cord or wire. Secure with at least a double knot to ensure that the clasp pieces do not come loose and break away. Cut the extra cord or wire that extends beyond the clasp pieces.
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References
- Photo Credit beaded necklace image by Gina Smith from Fotolia.com
