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 “Black and Copper Necklace”:“Stunning necklace BLE! I have fallen for copper for several years now. You just…” read »
- on “Mermaid Bracelets”:
“Wow! Stunning bracelets that took a lot of opening and closing of jump rings.…” read »
on “Mermaid Bracelets”:“Lovely! I, too, thought they were crocheted at first look.…” read »
on “Grapevine”:“The tubelets are much nicer than bugles.…” read »
- on “Grapevine”:
“Thanks Robin. I haven't seen them before. Beautiful bracelet.…” read »
- on “Pink Elephants on Parade”:
“Thanks sweetjane.…” read »
- on “Mermaid Bracelets”:
“I agree with you. You can't have too many bracelets especially when they're so beautiful. Love…” read »
on “Mermaid Bracelets”:“JG, what a beautiful bracelet. At first I thought it was crochet and then I zoomed…” read »
- on “Gilded Paradise Bracelet”:
“What is the cost to make the bracelet as pictured?…” read »
on “Winter market selection”:“Your stars are great!! And , of course the Dragonflies too. What do you use to…” read »
- on “Pink Elephants on Parade”:
“How adorable is this!! I just love it! The little tassels are a perfect detail.…” read »
- on “Grapevine”:
“Beady, I know what you mean - tubelets are 6x 2.8mm. Not really big, but feel…” read »
- on “Pink Elephants on Parade”:
“Thank you all so much!…” read »
- on “Winter market selection”:
“Such pretty stars and I love your dragonflies. Beautiful Robin.…” read »
- on “Grapevine”:
“Great bracelet. The tublet beads are very pretty. They look pretty big. The colors are fantastic.…” read »
- on “True Blue”:
“Wonderful sweetjane. I love the lampwork bead and the colors are great.…” read »
on “Serendipity”:“Kye, so far yes!…” read »
- on “Winter market selection”:
“MM, the dragonflies aren't a pattern, but they are on you tube-it was very easy to…” read »
on “True Blue”:“Beautiful, Jane!…” read »
- on “Winter market selection”:
“So pretty! Love the dragonflies especially! Is that a pattern also?…” read »
on “Serendipity”:“So glad things worked out. This is beautiful. I hope you kept it if you wanted…” read »
- on “Gilded Paradise Bracelet”:
“This is wonderful. So much to admire and enjoy in this bracelet.…” read »
- on “Winter market selection”:
“The star earrings are so beautiful! I also like the dragonflies. I need to…” read »
- on “Grapevine”:
“Beautiful! The colors play together so well and then that snap closure make it so…” read »
- on “True Blue”:
“I really like the bracelet in its current life setting! It is keeper for sure.…” read »
- on “Winter market selection”:
“KR, yes I’m going to have a booth at a local winter market. Everything I’m making…” read »
- on “Grapevine”:
“Jane, it’s a snap. It’s very easy to put on and off.…” read »
- on “Falling Leaves Pumpkin Necklace”:
“Thanks Robin and Crystal. Yes Crystal - the dangles were added after I finished the main…” read »
- on “Grapevine”:
“Looks like fun!!…” read »
- on “Grapevine”:
“I love the different beads...I can't quite make out the clasp...is it a button?…” read »
on “Winter market selection”:“Are you going to sell these earrings Robin? They are unique and would easily sell. I…” read »
- on “Grapevine”:
“Nice. It looks kinda southwestern. And such an interesting way to clasp the bracelet. Good color…” read »
- on “True Blue”:
“It not boring at all. As soon as I saw it I thought what a cool…” read »
- on “Grapevine”:
“The pattern is called River Bend Bracelet by Sam Wescott on Etsy.…” read »
- on “Small Offerings”:
“These are wonderful!…” read »
- on “Grapevine”:
“I love this! It would be so fun to make! Where did you find the pattern?…” read »
- on “True Blue”:
“This is so pretty! I really like it the it is!…” read »
- on “Pink Elephants on Parade”:
“Beautiful!…” read »
- on “True Blue”:
“No Czech flower Robin...I think your talking about a little Aquamarine chip.…” read »
on “Cloisonné Earrings”:“I love the colors they are so beautiful. You can use these earrings for different…” 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
You are viewing all 2 items.
| 42" length: $2.20 |
You are viewing all 2 items.
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