How to Tie a Multi Strand Lariat Necklace
A multi strand lariat is a sophisticated necklace that consists of three strands of beads that meet at a center focal point bead. The focal point bead can have one or more beads threaded on underneath it to make the tail of the lariat. The focal point often has tassels or fringes hanging down from it, but it is not necessary to make them to have the necklace be considered a lariat. Tie your multi-strand lariat necklace together and wear it out for a night on the town.
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Things You'll Need
- Bead mat
- 3 pieces soft flex beading wire, 25-inch
- Slider/spacer focal bead with two holes
- Seed beads, size 6/0
- Top-drilled bicone beads
- 6 crimp beads
- Crimping pliers
- Bead wire, 22-gauge
- Round nosed pliers
- Flush cutters
- 2 decorative cone necklace ends
- 1 pair chain extender
- Split rings, 5-millimeter
- Split ring pliers
- 1 lobster clasp, 12-millimeter
Instructions
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1
Set your bead mat on your workspace. Lay out the beads onto the mat in the desired pattern with the focal bead at the bottom of the mat. Lay out three beads at each bead location for the three strands of the lariat necklace. Set three seed beads on either side of the focal bead and three seed beads at the ends that will be attached to the clasp of the lariat necklace.
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2
Thread the first 25-inch wire through the right-most hole of the slider bead. Slide the bead near the half-way point of the wire. Thread the second wire through the right-most hole of the slider bead. Thread the third wire through the right-most hole. Pull the wires so that the slider bead is at their half-way point and their ends are aligned.
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3
Thread the three wires through a top-drilled bicone bead. Insert the wires through the left-most hole of the slider bead and pull them through so that the slider bead and the bicone bead are at the center of the lariat.
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4
Separate the three right side wires. Slide a crimp bead onto each wire. Crimp the beads by setting each crimp bead into the crimping pliers jaws and apply firm, even pressure with the pliers to crimp the bead onto the wire.
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5
Start stringing on the right side beads onto the right ends of the bead wire. String the left side beads onto the left end of the bead wire. Hold all the wires together to ensure that each wire has the same amount of beads. When done correctly the top-most bead on each wire sits at the same level. Separate the wires back to their original sides.
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6
Cut a 3-inch piece of 22-gauge wire. Make a wrapped loop with the 22-gauge wire by placing the left end of the wire 3/8-inch in on the bottom jaw of the round nosed pliers. Grip onto the wire end and then slowly turn the wire away from you to make a P shaped loop. Remove the pliers and take the extra wire from the loop end and wrap it around the main part of the wire two times. Cut the remaining wire with flush wire cutters.
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7
Hold all three right wire ends together. Align the ends. If they are not even, trim them down with the wire cutters. Tie the wires together into a knot by first inserting all three wires through the 22-gauge wire loop. Bring the wires down so that they meet where the wires extends up from the beads and tie them together onto the main part of the wires in a simple over-hand knot. Tie another knot with all three wires and pull it tight.
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8
Trim the wire ends down to 1/2 inch in length. Insert the wires back through the strand of beads it came from to hide the end of the wire. Repeat this process with the other three wire ends to tie them to another 3-inch piece of 22-gauge wire with a wrapped loop at one end.
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9
Slide a decorative metal cone, large open end first, onto the right end 22-gauge wire to cover the knotted wire. Slide a decorative metal cone on the left end as well. Slide the first link of the chain extender onto the wire at the left end of the necklace. Make a wrapped loop with the left end 22-gauge wire with the round nosed pliers as before to secure the extender chain to the necklace. Cut off the excess wire.
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10
At the right end of the necklace, slide a split ring onto the wire and then make a wrapped loop with the wire. Open the slip ring with the split ring pliers and slide on the lobster claw clasp to finish the multi-strand lariat necklace.
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