Shop for Beads & Supplies:
This Week: Save with Spring Coupons! Gems, African, Seed Beads & more

Gemstone Cowgirl

by Ali on 06/09/11

Additional Images:

The full necklace
Druzy closeup.

Project details:

in favorites

I really wanted to make a lariat necklace with feathers that had something unique about it. As I was putting it together, it turned into something I wasn’t expecting, but I really like it! First I chose a metallic leather cord, then selected some earthy colored feathers in rusts, blacks and reds. I used the druzy agate slices because they are very natural looking with beautiful sparkle and they work well with the leather. This necklace quickly turned into a bird’s nest theme as I looked at the feathers and began looking for other beads I could string on the cord. (Tip: artist beads such as Green Girl Studios, Kylie Parry, and Gaea fit easily over the leather cord). I used the GG shibuichi organic round as the nest for the ceramic bird.

Tip: knots work great as decorative details but also function to keep your beads and pieces in place.

My finished length- to tip of feathers is 30” and from the end to end, the leather cord is 24.”

For more detail on how I did certain parts on the necklace, see the instructions below.

↓ Step-by-step

Supplies you’ll need:

  • 3’ length of 2.0 mm leather cord
  • 1 Kylie Parry ceramic goldenrod bird
  • 3 pieces of druzy agate sliced pendants
  • 10.5”-11” of handmade gunmetal brushed large and small ring chain
  • 1 Green Girl shibuichi organic link
  • 1 Green Girl shibuichi wagon wheel link
  • 1 Green Girl barn swallow ball
  • 1 pair of matching feathers from Mother Nature’s Palette
  • 2 feathers of different patterns from Mother Nature’s Palette
  • 1 chestnut turkey marabou feather
  • 3 antique silver crimp cord ends
  • 4 antique silver jump rings
  • 1 antique silver (plated) small dimpled cone 17x6mm
  • 1 2” 21 gauge gunmetal headpin with random 3mm or 4mm bead found around house
  • 4 TierraCast gunmetal twisted spacer 2x8mm
  • 2 TierraCast gunmetal twisted spacer 2x12mm

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Step 1

Attach the small pair of matching feathers by using a crimp cord end linked to a jump ring, which will connect to your crimp cord end that is attached to the leather (whew….)

See Tip: Using a Crimp Cord End with a Feather

Step 2

String your leather cord through the first hole in a hollow druzy, then weave it through a hole in the wheel, stringing across to the other side of the wheel and back up through a hole on the opposite side. This is kind of like stringing a 2-hole button. Then take the leather cord and string through the other hole in the hollow druzy. I knotted on either side of the druzy to keep it in place.

Step 3

Stringing leather cord through chain is easy! Just knot the leather to the first end of chain, then “sew” the leather through the links until you are done then knotting the leather the last like. Make sure your leather is not any tighter or looser than the length of chain before your final tightening of the knot.

Step 4

This is where I made the nest described above. I strung the druzy slice, then the goldenrod ceramic bird, then the shibuichi organic link to fasten the bird in. Make sure to knot tight under the link so that the bird stays in place.

Step 5

Before you are finished, make sure you leave enough room between the bird’s nest and the end of your leather cord to tie the lariat – I left 3.5”. This will depend on where/how you want your necklace to hang.

Step 6

Use a cone to hold your feathers. Attach to the jump ring that is attached to crimp cord end at the end of necklace. I added 2 jump rings to the one that the feathers are attached to and connected another shibuichi wagon wheel.

See Tip: Gluing Feathers in a Cone