12 days of beading (on the first day…)
Well here it is…our impromptu blogging series for the next 12 days. 12 beading ideas to give you inspiration in your seasonal beading. We won’t be doing long, detailed step-by-step instructions with diagrams and videos because we are literally designing, making and posting these ideas daily. But we will be keeping things simple and fun, so they shouldn’t be needed.
So without further ado, we present the ‘First Day of Beading’….this beautiful Wire Wrapped Wreath Necklace:
You will need:
- 2 x 30cm lengths of Artistic Wire 24 Gauge in Non-Tarnish Silver
- 1 x Artistic Wire Wrapper Round in Silver Plated
- 10 x Miracle Beads 4mm Red
- approx. 50 x Swarovski (or Preciosa) 4mm Bicones from Evergreen Mix
- some 11/0 Crystal Silverlined AB Seed Beads
- 1 x Jump Ring 9mm Silver Plated
- 3ft Rolo Chain Silver Plated 2.13mm
Click on the links above to go to the site and add to your basket.
What to do:
- Take a piece of the wire and secure one end to the loop on your wire wrapper round. Slide it to one side and bring the length of wire through from the back, through the middle of the wrapper. Make sure the twist in your end is hiding at the back of the wrapper.
- Start to string your bicones and miracle beads on. I used about 4 or 5 bicones, then 1 miracle bead. Begin to wrap this around the wrapper, adding beads as you go and placing the red ones towards the front of the pendant (I tried placing them exactly on the front but it started to look a little contrived, so I made them a little more random- but it is up to you!). Wrap around 11 times- 5 on one side, one in the middle at the bottom, then another five. Wrap the end around the loop of the wire wrapper, on the other side from where you started.
- Take your other length of wire and attach it to the ring, as you did with the first piece. This time, fill it with 11/0 seed beads BEFORE you begin to wrap. Once the length is full, just bend over the end with your round nose pliers to stop the seed beads from slipping off.
- Begin to wrap this around (in between the bicones), working your way around the wrapper. When you get to the end, snip off the rounded end of your wire and take a few beads off. This allows you working length to wrap that end around the loop of the wire wrapper and secure.
- Use needle nose pliers to tuck all ends of wire secure around loop and ‘tidy’ as necessary. Pendant done!
- Put the jump ring on the loop of the wire wrapper.
- String your pendant on the chain. Cut one end link of the rolo chain and open carefully. Attach to a link on the other end of the chain and close to secure. (could also use split ring for more security if so desired).
Tips and Variations:
Color: You don’t have to go with the traditional red and green. We stock a variety of color mixes so you can choose something to match your outfit too. We have the Apparition Mix with Silver Miracle Beads, the Blue Tones Mix with Light Blue Miracle Beads, the Honey Butter Mix with Gold Miracle beads etc. The wrappers also come in Antique Brass and Hematite. So create your own color scheme:)
Size: This is a longer length necklace design, meant to fall at the top of the stomach. You can also shorten the necklace, but you would need to add a clasp to put it on. Also, you can vary the chain type if rolo isn’t your thing. I would suggest using a similar size of link though- we tried it with larger link chains and it doesn’t really look proportional.
Design: This pendant doesn’t have to be just a necklace! It could be a bag charm or book mark too. It is a little to weighty for earrings though….
Be sure to post a photo of your pendant on our Facebook page. We love to see what you get up too:)
Till tomorrow,
Hollie
XO (“On the second day of beading, my bead lady taught to me….???”)
(Originally published November 21, 2012)