The Design Gallery
Follow along with step-by-step beading projects and share your designs with beaders around the world—it’s quick & easy!
Chatter
on “Sea Lotus Necklace & Earring Set”:“Gorgeous combination to create a set of 3 strand necklaces!…” read »
on “Sea Lotus Necklace & Earring Set”:“Such beautiful, golden layers! The smaller beads & chain really show off the colorful Cloisonné…” read »
on “Happy suade to You!”:“these earrings are really cute!…” read »
- on “Sea Lotus Necklace & Earring Set”:
“I really like the use of the beaded chain in this. Great design!…” read »
on “A Few More”:“JenJ, I tell myself that all the time--I hope you have better success exercising self-control when…” read »
on “More Vintage Czech Beads”:“Thanks again you all...your support really matters. I have been in a real funk lately...don't really…” read »
on “A Few More”:“It’s been 10 days since you posted this. I never paid any attention to the woven…” read »
- on “Happy suade to You!”:
“I like the way the leather frames the feathers and moon charms. Very pretty.…” read »
- on “More Vintage Czech Beads”:
“I agree with Crystal, I really like what you did with the honeycomb link. Pleasing color…” read »
- on “Happy suade to You!”:
“Love these! Such an eye-catching design. So much movement from all the dangling suede…” read »
on “Green dream”:“Wow! Ingenious design…” read »
- on “A Few More”:
“I love them all. My fav is the one in the lower right side. Lovely colors…” read »
on “More Vintage Czech Beads”:“Thanks you all!! Yes, Nancy, that was your pendant. I had it for awhile…” read »
on “More Vintage Czech Beads”:“Jane has cleverly presented a super colorful piece. I had that very same pendant and perhaps…” read »
on “Low Tide Earrings”:“Unfortunately, these do not come in gold.…” read »
- on “Heishi Hoops”:
“really cute! Love the heishi!…” read »
- on “Low Tide Earrings”:
“Do these come in gold…” read »
- on “More Vintage Czech Beads”:
“Nice piece Jane. I enjoy all the colorful accents, but especially how you used the…” read »
- on “Interlocked Rings Earrings”:
“Rings are in! Nice way to brush up on our skills or learn to do…” read »
- on “Fern Hoop Earrings”:
“Absolutely Awesome! The description says the links are plated, so I'm a bit confused. …” read »
on “Shell Cove Earrings”:“Love the combo of the Opal acetate (which looks like MOP), the shell links, and coconut--great…” read »
- on “Heishi Hoops”:
“My favorite style--the hoop ear wires are a blast to create with!…” read »
- on “Tropical Monstera Earrings”:
“Beautiful way to frame the Abalone acetate leaves! The fancy ear posts make this extra…” read »
on “Tropical Monstera Earrings”:“Thanks Pam!…” read »
on “Shell Cove Earrings”:“Another delightful pair of earrings! I must amend the fact that I love all 5…” read »
- on “Heishi Hoops”:
“Another fantastic earring! To be honest I love all 4 pairs.…” read »
- on “Tropical Monstera Earrings”:
“These are my favorite earrings!…” read »
on “Sunburst Chandelier Earrings”:“Thank you!…” read »
on “More Vintage Czech Beads”:“This is a beautiful eclectic necklace and earrings! I love it!…” read »
on “A Few More”:“That blue one has great appeal! Agree about the hula.…” read »
on “The hills are alive🎼”:“Well most of my comment didn’t post. …” read »
on “The hills are alive🎼”:“LRC, actually 3 hairs…” read »
on “A Few More”:“Interesting collection with great components. I especially like the blue pendant. It looks like…” read »
on “The hills are alive🎼”:“Wonderful color and an absolutely beautiful design! What size brush did you use... one with…” read »
on “New and Old Stuff”:“Love those vintage beads. They look right at home in this bright and cheerful design.…” read »
- on “Green dream”:
“Wow! I have to agree with all of the above. This is a fabulous…” read »
on “Second piece from Nancy”:“Wow! I love the design and the beads are lovely.very organic…” read »
on “Green dream”:“Thanks, everyone, for your kind words.…” read »
- on “Green dream”:
“I agree with what everyone else has said. I have tried chain maille on a…” read »
on “Green dream”:“Exquisite! The chainmaille is really wonderful and the green seed beads really add charm to it.…” read »
Opal Tie
About this design:
My goal with this design was to create something light enough to not make you feel weighted down when wearing it in the summer while being cool enough to be noticed. This necklace is really very easy to make, especially if you buy the ready made gemstone bead chain rather than wire wrapping each link.
What you’ll need: (buy products below)
- 2' gemstone bead chain
- 1' leather lace
- 1 length of silk string cut into 2 3-4" pieces with one long length remaining for back of necklace
- 6 4" lengths of non-tarnish brass wire
- 2 6" lengths of non-tarnish brass wire
- 2 Patricia Healey Triangle Arc
- 1 Patricia Healey Textured Curved Tube
- 3-4" worth of seed beads
- 9 feathered daggers or flat drops of equivalent width
- adhesive
Additional Images:
Step-by-Step Instructions:
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Step 1: The best thing to do with a necklace like this is to lay it out first. I began with laying out the main large components of the "tie", knowing that I wanted to fill in between those components with with simple rows of seed beads. |
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Step 2: Once the layout for the necklace is done, cut your chain in half, setting aside the extra opal beads. Wire wrap the Patricia Healey Copper Curved Textured Tube Bead to each end of the chain. This will act as the anchor for the necklace. |
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Step 3: Attach your 2 rows of czech drops by wire wrapping them to the chain as they were laid out. Make sure to add a seed bead or 2 in between each drop. This will keep the drops lying flat. |
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Step 4: Now comes the time to use the 2 shorter lengths of silk string. Knot the silk to the chain, string on the Patricia Healey Copper Triangle Arc and knot to the chain on the other side. If you are having trouble getting the silk string to go through the triangle arc, either use a collapsible needle or take a piece of your wire folding it in half and twisting your silk to it. Once you have done the one triangle arc, repeat stringing on the other triangle arc. |
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Step 5: Now that all of the main components are connected to the chain, you can go back in and fill the gaps with rows of seed beads. This is also where you can use the left over opal beads from you chain. See Tip: Make a Wire Wrapped Bead Link |
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Step 6: Finish your necklace by taking 2 6" lengths of 24 gauge wire, wrapping each to an end of chain. Create another loop close to the one connected to the chain and string the leather and silk cord through it. Make sure that you leave a 1/2" tail of leather and a 2-3" tail of silk cord at each end, keeping in mind that in the supporting part of the necklace, they need to be even. Now that the leather and silk have been strung through the loop, dab a touch of adhesive and wrap the wire around and around until it is all used. When you are done wrapping the wire, begin wrapping the silk string around the leather tail and the supporting leather and silk. Finish off the will wrapping with a knot. Repeat at the other end. |
Buy Products from this Design
We only have 1 item to show you on this page!
We only have 1 item to show you on this page!
On Apr 26, 2012 at 3:52 pm #
KatsAllThat says:Very interesting design. I love the Patricia Healey pieces.
On Apr 26, 2012 at 8:17 pm #
Elis Mom says:Ali, this is so wonderful and unique! How long is the finished piece?
On Apr 26, 2012 at 11:27 pm #
Lynn Eileen Chicky LE says:Susie, I wondered the same thing about the finished length! Great minds and all that jazz….
Ali, this is fantastic! What a perfect example of the popular “mixed media” designs! This is so versatile, too — you could personalize it however you wished! Thanks for the instructions, too!
On Apr 27, 2012 at 1:13 am #
Jennalynn says:Very unique! It’s just lovely
On Apr 27, 2012 at 8:00 am #
Chicky Zee aka Alice says:LOvely!
On Apr 27, 2012 at 8:49 am #
sunny chick says:Ali, another winning design! Thanks for the step-by-step instructions.
On Aug 15, 2012 at 9:14 am #
C Haddock says:Gorgeous!!!
On Sep 30, 2013 at 10:16 pm #
D CONNICK says:The details are so…sweet!
On Apr 16, 2014 at 9:51 am #
DahleaM says:has a very native american look to it!
On Jun 08, 2014 at 12:44 pm #
P THOMASON says:I would love to see other peoples design ideas besides Ali. Is she your only person that makes jewelry there?
On May 13, 2015 at 1:09 pm #
Kathi D says:this is an awesome piece, reminds me of a Native Arts peace made with tiny seed beads
On Mar 23, 2016 at 3:25 pm #
beadngirlee says:I just love your work! And this is no exception!
On Apr 07, 2017 at 7:32 am #
B Wong says:What a gorgeous necklace! Thanks for sharing the instructions!
On Dec 03, 2017 at 5:15 pm #
S lazan says:you’re so inspirational. Thanks for all your tips and techniques.
On Aug 26, 2018 at 4:13 pm #
L Dryman-Rice says:Beautiful, Ali! I love the “architecture” of this necklace.
On Mar 22, 2019 at 3:05 pm #
Annis P says:I’m not finding the curved beads or the triangle arc beads? I thought there would be a better link straight to the items needed to purchase and make one of these necklaces.
On Jun 20, 2020 at 2:36 pm #
DonnaE says:Loooove your creative designs, Ali!! xo
On Dec 12, 2021 at 1:50 pm #
Fullermary63 says:How natural, raw. And absolutely unique! You have taken a step forward in desighns and shown how these materials can be used together and compliment one another in an all original desighn! Well done! Thanks for lighting that fire!!