Tools * Round nose pliers * Chain nose pliers * Flat nose pliers * Flush cutters * Crimping pliers (optional)

KLACE ROPE CHAIN NEC

* Bead board

ia l r e t a M

Prerequisite:wire wrapped loop

A typical rope necklace ranges from 90cm - 250cm in length. It is great for both day and evening wear. Rope necklaces usually do not have a clasp and are one continuous strand which can be doubled or tripled around your neck. This necklace is approximately 220cm long and can be wrapped around your neck three times. Now let’s get started! When designing a piece of jewellery, always start with the larger or focal beads. In this case it is the white stick pearls. Place these beads randomly around the outer groove of your bead board. Move them around until you are happy with their position. As the rope necklace doesn’t have a clasp, it doesn’t really have a back or front, so make sure your beads are evenly distributed around the board.

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8 x 14mm white stick pearls

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8 x 6mm aqua crystals

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8 x 6mm purple crystals

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8 x 6mm pink crystals

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8 x 6mm round blue glass beads

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8 x 4mm aquamarine round beads

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8 x 6mm x 4mm oval rose quartz

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8 x 4mm purple glass beads

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4 x 4mm purple foil rondelles

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4 x 4mm blue rondelles

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50 - 60 white round pearls (4mm - 6mm mixed)

* 1.25 metres of .6 wire. *

Next place the medium sized beads onto the board. These are the 6mm crystals, 6mm rose quartz oval beads and 6mm blue glass beads. Spread them evenly between the white stick pearls.

Lastly add in the smaller “filler” beads. These are the round white pearls, the 4mm round purple glass and aquamarine beads, and the foil rondelles.

Before you start, mark the round nose pliers approximately 4mm from the points of the arms using a permanent marker. You will form each of your wire wrapped loops at the marked point, which will ensure that all of your loops are uniform.

Flush cut and clean 10cm of .6 wire. Using the round nose pliers, hold the wire approximately 4cm from the top.

Form a wire wrapped loop.

You will have a wire wrap between each bead which will add a lot of length to your necklace. This necklace should end up being approximately 220cm even though it looks much shorter on the bead board. It is a lot of wire work, but by the end you will have perfected the technique. You can make the necklace as long or as short as you desire just by adding or removing beads. This is a very versatile piece to make.

Choose one of the beads on your bead board to slip onto the open end of the wire. I make a habit of starting at 0 and working in a clockwise direction around the board when there is no obvious front or back to the necklace.

Give the loops a little twist until they are nicely in line with each other.

Now.....Flush cut and clean another 10cm of . 6mm wire. Holding the wire 4cm from the top, form the first half of a wire wrapped loop. Using the round nose pliers, hold the wire just above the bead ready to make a second wire wrapped loop. Make sure you are holding the wire so that you CANNOT see through the loop that has already been made. The loop should run side to side rather than forward to back.

Gently lift the wire with your pliers and slip the loop into the first connector.

Form the second wire wrapped loop. The two loops should be facing the same direction....a bit like ears on an elephant :) . This is called a connector.

Make sure the loop sits firmly into the link of the the connector. If your loops are crooked simply hold one of the loops with your chain nose pliers, and the other with your flat nose pliers.

Hold across the loop with the chain nose pliers to give stability.

Complete the wire wrapped loop. This will form a secure link.

Form a wire wrapped loop at the top of the bead. You now have two connectors in a row!

Continue to add beads in this manner to form a chain ......

.......until you have the length that you desire. Slip the next bead in line onto the end of the wire.

NOTE: Due to the necklace’s length, and the difficulty in working such a long piece, I often break my work into 10 - 15cm pieces. For this necklace I formed 10 smaller pieces of chain.

JOINING YOUR CONNECTOR CHAIN TOGETHER

I then joined them together to form one continuous chain using the white pearl “filler” beads.

Carefully slip the loop in the wire onto the last connector of your chain.

Flush cut and clean 10cm of .6mm wire. Holding the wire 4cm from the top, form the first half of a wire wrapped loop.

Complete the wire wrapped loop.

Slip a white pearl “filler” bead onto the end of the wire.

Form the first part of a wire wrapped loop at the top of the bead.

Gently lift the wire with your pliers and slip the loop onto the remaining empty loop of the connecter at the other end of the chain.

Complete the wire wrapped loop so that you now have one piece of chain. NB In this picture I am using my bent nose pliers but of course your chain nose pliers will work fine.

Continue joining your chains until you have the length you desire. Add the last connector so that you have a long circular piece.

The necklace can be wrapped around your neck three times to form a long necklace....

....or wrapped around your neck several times to form a bulky choker.