Endless Summer Necklace

by Albina Manning

Category: Contemporary
Technique(s): Wrapping
Skill Level: Intermediate

Almost everybody loves the summer months. We girls get to wear more dresses, and visit the beach. These activities always make me want to wear shells and pearls. The choker I designed combines both, with a little sparkle. Although it appears to be a "dressy" piece, this choker looks great with jeans, too!

Materials

22 Gauge Round Dead Soft .925 Sterling Silver Wire

H8-22D

Lesson Quantity: 10.00 feet
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 10FT
Price: $19.85
Gold Club Price: $14.88

Add to Bag

22 Gauge Necklace Memory Wire Silver Finish - Approximately 10 Coils

H14-1

Lesson Quantity: 2.00 feet
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $12.00
Gold Club Price: $9.00

Add to Bag

Mother of Pearl flower bead

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each

6mm Crystal 5328 Bi-Cone Swarovski Crystal Beads - Pack of 10

A13-53B

Lesson Quantity: 5.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $1.97
Gold Club Price: $1.48

Out of Stock

6.5-7mm Large Hole (1.2mm) White Rice Fresh Water Pearls - Pack of 20

A8-07

Lesson Quantity: 6.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Price: $18.27
Gold Club Price: $13.70

Add to Bag

5-5.5mm Large Hole (1.2mm) White Potato Fresh Water Pearls - Pack of 20

A8-05

Lesson Quantity: 8.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Price: $6.57
Gold Club Price: $4.93

Add to Bag

5-5.5mm Large Hole (1.2mm) White Rice Fresh Water Pearls - Pack of 20

A8-08

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 2.00 pieces
Price: $8.67
Gold Club Price: $6.50

Add to Bag

Silver Filled Headpins 22GA 2 inch - Pack of 10

S8-14

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Price: $2.91
Gold Club Price: $2.18

Add to Bag

Add All Items to Cart

Tools

Flat Nose Wire Pliers

G2-506

G2-506
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $32.95
Gold Club Price: $24.71

Add to Bag

Chain Nose Wire Pliers

G2-508

G2-508
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $32.95
Gold Club Price: $24.71

Add to Bag

C.H.P Milano Italian Flush Cutter, 5 1/2 Inches

PLR-487.00

PLR-487.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $16.97
Gold Club Price: $12.73

Add to Bag

Memory Wire Cutters - Pack of 1

G2-36

G2-36
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $10.38
Gold Club Price: $7.78

Add to Bag

12 Inch Stainless Steel Ruler

G7-30

G7-30
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $2.97
Gold Club Price: $2.23

Add to Bag

Add All Items to Cart

Instructions

Step 1

Start by sketching your design.

Use a piece of paper to trace the outline of your mother of pearl flower. Then, plan your layout by drawing in the "twig" accents you'd like to include.

Add as many as you'd like, and decorate them in your sketch with pearls and crystals to visualize your desired focal point for the choker.

Albina Manning's Endless Summer Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Planning the design on your choker.

Step 2

To create the first twig:

Cut a 2-foot length of 22-gauge round wire.

On one end of the wire, string the following bead group: one 5mm pearl, followed by one 6mm bicone crystal, and then another 5mm pearl.

Step 3

Position your first twig:

Lay the beaded end of the wire over your sketch, aligning the bead group at the tip of one of the twigs.

Next, measure the distance from this bead group to the center of the flower on your design. Add 1 inch (2.5 cm) to that measurement-this total will be your "X-length" (marked by a red arrow in the diagram).

This section of wire is now referred to as the "tail."

Albina Manning's Endless Summer Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Laying beaded wire on the previous plan.

Step 4

Form the twig loop:

Slide the bead group down the wire, leaving your measured X-length tail extending beyond the beads.

Bend the wire to form a small loop with the beads at the top, then twist the two wire ends together directly below the bead group to secure the loop in place.

Continue twisting the wires together until the twisted section measures the full X-length.

Albina Manning's Endless Summer Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Adding beads onto the 22-gauge round dead soft wire.

Step 5

Complete the twig:

Place the twisted wire with the bead loop onto your sketch to check placement and alignment.

Now, plan and design the opposite end of the twig. Using the same technique as before, create a matching bead loop on the other end of the wire.

Be sure to mirror the design so it complements the first half.

Albina Manning's Endless Summer Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Adding the beads and 22-gauge dead soft wire onto the design.

Step 6

Finish the first twig:

Once both ends of the twig are complete and you've used most of the wire, trim the remaining wire tails to about 1/2 inch (12mm) long.

Then, twist the two ends together to securely finish the twig.

Albina Manning's Endless Summer Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Twisting 22-gauge wire together.

Step 7

Continue creating as many twigs as your design calls for.

Albina Manning's Endless Summer Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Adding more twigs.

Step 8

Tip:

To add variety, you can create single-pearl twigs using the same method as before-just string one pearl instead of a pearl-and-crystal combination.

For a fuller look, group your finished twigs into sets of two or three and twist the bases of each set together to form small clusters.

Step 9

Create the flower centerpiece:

Slide one 6mm Swarovski crystal onto a 2" headpin, followed by the mother of pearl flower-position them as shown in your design.

Albina Manning's Endless Summer Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Adding swarovski and looping the wire headpin to catch.

Step 10

Trim the headpin, leaving about a 3/8" (1 cm) tail above the flower.

Albina Manning's Endless Summer Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, trim the headpin

Step 11

Using round-nose pliers, form a loop at the trimmed end to secure the components in place.

Albina Manning's Endless Summer Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, form a loop

Step 12

Open the loop from the previous step and insert the twisted twig sets as shown.

Albina Manning's Endless Summer Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Opening loops.

Step 13

Now slide the memory wire into the loop, and close it firmly.

Albina Manning's Endless Summer Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Adding memory wire to loop.

Step 14

Thread as many 5mm round pearls on both ends of the memory wire as you desire, all the way under the focal flower.

Albina Manning's Endless Summer Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Threading pearls to the memory wire.

Step 15

If you want a symmetrical design, place the same amount of pearls on each side of the center.

If you would like an asymmetrical look, use more pearls on one side than the other.

Albina Manning's Endless Summer Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, symmetrical and asymmetrical

Step 16

Try the choker on, to check for the length you wish.

Trim both ends of the choker to 3/8" (1cm) longer than the desired finished size.

Use round nose pliers to make a closed loop at each end, locking everything into place.

Albina Manning's Endless Summer Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Closing loop with round nose pliers.

Step 17

Arrange the pearl and crystal twigs around the mother of pearl flower.

Enjoy!

Albina Manning's Endless Summer Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Arranging pearls, and other pieces.

Reviews

<br />
<b>Warning</b>: Undefined property: stdClass::$instructor in <b>/home/wirescul/public_html/content/compiled/%%36^36A^36A24966%%jewelry_making_patterns_tutorial.html.php</b> on line <b>1098</b><br />

Albina Manning

Albina Manning was born in Yoshkar-Ola, Russia, a small town not far from Volga River. Ever since she was a child, she has loved doing anything by hand, especially knitting and sewing. Albina graduated from Mari State Pedagogical Institute and then worked for 9 years as a certificated elementary and physical education teacher in her hometown. In 2003 Albina moved to Arizona. Her work Bonsai Shakkan has been used by Fire Mountain Gems both as a back cover advertisement and inside their catalog. In 2009 Albina won the 1st Place Gold Medal award with 'Inca's Gold Necklace' in FMG's wirework category. In 2011, she won Bronze Medal with 'Nautilus' Necklace in FMG's wirework & Chain category, and in 2012 - Bronze Medal with "Silver Rain" jewelry set in Metal Jewelry Designs (FMG). Albina have been published in the 'Art Bead Circle Magazine', German 'Perlen Poesie', Russian 'Fashion' magazine, 'Step by Step Wire', and in a book 'Mixed Media Jewelry Techniques'. The latest success is 'Coiling and Weaving' 3-DVD series devoted to working with round wire to create beautiful designs was released in April 2011 through Wire-Sculpture.com. Albina Manning now enjoys teaching private classes, classes at Gem and Bead Mall, and at the J.O.G.S Gem & Jewelry Show in Tucson.