She Beads

There will be occasions when you’ll find a matching set of fabulous beads. Just picture in your mind’s eye a line of dichroic glass wedges that line up perfectly, or perhaps an exquisitely fitted set, as seen in this necklace.

I saw this particular grouping quite some time ago and loved it. But, I must admit, I couldn’t clearly see its great potential. Keep in mind that when I purchased them, they were pulled together into a very small, very tight “U” shape. Only after playing with them a while, and thinking about them a lot, did their beauty as a unit became apparent.

Perhaps it’s a kind of sixth sense one develops over time, or perhaps I just had faith in eventually finding the key to unlocking their hidden magic. Whatever it was, there aren’t many thrills to match the “Aha!” that comes with seeing the parts suddenly become a whole.

Every time you discover a unique set that somehow speaks to you, expect that you will soon be presented with an equally unique set of problems. However, problems are to be solved, and sharing how I solve mine may well help you to solve yours.

This project is about solving the problems associated with making a piece of jewellery from a unique set of beads. This is important, because the world is full of unique beads and the chances of you finding a set matching mine are slim to nil. That being the case, the goal here is to review the specific problems this necklace presented so you can gain some general insights into solving your own set of problems at a later date. And believe me, you will have problems at a later date.

Okay, you’re probably asking yourself why I, or anyone else for that matter, would want to buy a grouping of beads that presented problems. This is fair question and I have an honest answer: I fell in love with this set. I saw its beauty and potential and, when I turned it over, an incredibly low price.

Here are some points to bear in mind when making this necklace :

In making this necklace, I used a simple 4mm disc-type bead as a spacer because I felt that using Bali silver spacers would have overwhelmed.

When I bought the set, I knew I would have to spread the beads out a bit in order for the shape to fit properly around my neck. At first, I put 1 spacer between each piece of the set. The shape was still wrong. After considerable trial and error, I found that using 3 spacers on each side of the lower hole on the centre bead worked perfectly. I then used 2 spacers between all the remaining beads of the main set. I was happy with the shape.

When I found some Picasso marble beads that went well, I had to decide whether to make 1 or 2 strands. Using 1 strand seemed to make the piece look weak, but using 2 worked just fine. Notice how I’ve used 2 spacers to begin the stranded section and 1 thereafter.

At the clasp area, I used 3 spacers and 3 size 9 3-cut beads. This was a good place to slightly increase the length of the necklace, but I also thought it would look better if I brought down the size of the beads gradually.

All the spacer beads I used, and the size 9 3-cuts, were originally shiny black. The shine just didn’t go with the rest of the beads, so I used a product called Etch All to achieve a matt finish. It took only a 1-minute soak in the solution to take off what, to my eye, looked like excessive flash-

The clasp I selected to complete the necklace was sterling silver, so, once again, there was too much shine and it just didn’t work. However, a quick Liver of Sulfur bath did the trick. The clasp then matched perfectly. Liver of Sulfur is a product that is sold as a container of little chips.

You simply drop a pea-sized piece in some very hot water, give it a stir and it’s ready to darken your silver. It is often used to darken silver, which is then lightly polished. This allows the nooks and crannies to retain their darkened appearance and thus achieves an antique look.

In the case of my clasp, I liked the effect just as it was after the treatment, so I felt no need to polish it. I do hope that reviewing this process has given you some insight into how solving each problem creatively will, in turn, allow you to construct your very own unique jewellery.

Following are step-by-step instructions for making this particular necklace. I feel that the specific instructions will help guide you.

Step 1: Lay the unique bead set or grouping on a table. Decide on the shape you desire and adjust the beads as needed. Notice the spacing between the beads. Next, select beads that will work well for the spacing. Maybe it will be some bi-cone crystals, or maybe a glass bead spacer, as I selected.

Step 2: Place the spacer or added beads into position to fill in the gaps created when you shaped the unique beads. Make sure you are pleased with the shaping. Next, lay out the additional beads and spacers.

Step 3: Now is the time to use a product like Etch All if you have decided to give the beads you have chosen a matt finish. Obviously it would be best if you found the perfect spacer needed. Make a mental note of the bead placement before you pick up the beads for the Etch All bath (follow the instructions on the bottle). When the beads are dry, put them back into position.

Step 4: Cut 2 pieces of .014 Beadalon about 5cm/2” longer than you want your necklace to be.

Step 5: String the unique set of beads and spacers onto the Beadalon. Make a final check for shaping. String the remaining beads and spacers. Keep all the beads centred on the wires.

Step 6: String one crimp bead and pass the wire through one of the loops in the clasp. Notice that the position of the clasp is important if you are using a slide clasp such as the one on this necklace. Bring the wire back through the crimp bead and 1 or 2 more beads in the necklace. Pull the tension on the wire end until there is just a small loop around the clasp. Crimp the crimp bead using chain nose pliers.

Step 7: Repeat Step 5 to secure the second strand on the same side of the necklace to the other hole in the clasp.

Step 8: Make certain all the beads in both strands are snug against the clasp and that there is no bare wire showing. Attach the Beadalon wires to the other half of the clasp in the same manner, noting if the clasp position is correct.

Step 9: I darkened the clasp after the necklace was completed (the Liver of Sulfur is safe on all glass beads). Polish the clasp if desired.