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Victorian Violet
Designs by Barbara Greve
Great-grandma never had a necklace like this!
Materials
- Amethyst faceted beads: 6 (6mm) round, 8 (8mm) round, 2 (10 x 15mm) oval
- 6mm light amethyst round bead
- Aqua beads: 10 (6mm) faceted bicone, 1 (6mm) smooth round
- 7 (3mm) gold round beads
- 1 1/0 seed beads: 121-125 amethyst silver-lined, 121-130 burgundy transparent
- 11 (8mm) gold filigree bead caps
- 2 gold crimp beads
- 3 gold head pins
- 3 gold eye pins
- 2 gold earring ball posts
- 2 gold butterfly earring clasps
- 4 x 8mm gold hook clasp
- 3 1/4 inches gold large curb chain
- 32 inches white beading thread
- 25 inches .012-inch-diameter nylon-coated flexible beading wire
- Size 10-13 beading needle
- Round-nose pliers
- Chain-nose pliers
- Crimp tool
- Gem glue
Finished Sizes
Necklace
14 1/2 inches plus a 3-inch extender chain
Earrings
1 5/8 inches long
Project notes: Refer to diagrams throughout. When stringing the seed beads,
mix colors randomly. Bead caps should be strung so they "cup" the amethyst round beads.
Instructions
Necklace |
| 1) |
Using beading needle and thread, string an 8mm amethyst round, bead cap, eight seed beads, bead cap, 8mm amethyst round and a seed bead. Position beads 1-1 1/2 inches from end of thread. Insert the long end of thread back through all of the beads and out through the second 8mm amethyst round (Fig. 1).
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| 2) |
String a seed bead, 8mm amethyst round, bead cap and eight seed beads. Insert thread back through the following: previous bead cap, 8mm amethyst round, seed bead, amethyst round and bead cap (Fig. 2).
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| 3) |
String eight seed beads, bead cap, 8mm amethyst round and a seed bead; pass thread back through previous 8mm amethyst round, bead cap, eight seed beads, bead cap and amethyst round (Fig. 3).
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| 4) |
Repeat step 2 (Fig. 4), step 3 (Fig. 5) and step 2 again (Fig. 6).
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| 5) |
String eight seed beads. Pass thread through the first bead cap and amethyst round. String on a seed bead (Fig. 7).
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| 6) |
Begin stringing seed beads along inner diameter of beaded flower, passing the thread through the previous seed beads. Once seed beads have been strung along entire inner perimeter, string on 6mm aqua round bead; pass thread through a seed bead and then back through the aqua bead and another seed bead. Tie thread in a snug knot on back of flower. Add a dot of glue to knot; let dry. Insert the beginning thread tail inside several beads. Trim excess thread. |
| 7) |
Pass beading wire through the top two or three seed beads on beaded flower, centering flower on wire. String four seed beads on each side of wire and form a small beaded loop above flower by passing one wire strand through the opposite seed bead (Fig. 8). Gently pull wires to tighten.
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| 8) |
Working on one side of wire, string on five seed beads. String the following: 6mm amethyst round, 15 seed beads, aqua bicone, two seed beads, gold round bead, two seed beads, aqua bicone and 15 seed beads; repeat beading sequence. String on a 6mm amethyst round bead and 12 seed beads. |
| 9) |
String a crimp bead onto beaded wire; pass wire end through end link on chain and back through crimp bead and a few other beads. Use crimp pliers to flatten the crimp bead. Trim excess wire. |
| 10) |
Repeat step 10 with other side of wire. String on a crimp bead; pass wire through clasp and back through crimp bead and a few other beads. Flatten the crimp bead; trim excess wire. |
| 11) |
Slide a gold bead and an 8mm amethyst round bead onto a head pin; use round-nose pliers to form a loop above top bead. Trim excess wire. Open loop on an eye pin and slide it onto loop on head pin; close loop. Slide a light amethyst bead onto eye pin; form a loop above bead. Trim excess wire. Open loop and attach it to center bottom of beaded flower; close loop. |
Earrings
| 1) |
Slide the following onto a head pin: gold round bead, bead cap, amethyst oval bead and a bead cap. Use round-nose pliers to form a loop above bead cap. Trim excess wire. |
| 2) |
Slide an aqua bicone bead onto an eye pin; form a loop above bead. Trim excess wire. |
| 3) |
Open bottom loop of eye pin and attach it to beaded head pin; close loop. Open top loop of eye pin and attach to a ball post; close loop. |
| 4) |
Repeat steps 1-3 for a second earring. |
Sources: Amethyst round beads, aqua beads, gold beads and light amethyst bead from The Beadery; seed beads, amethyst oval beads, bead caps, ball posts, butterfly earring clasps, chain and beading thread from Blue Moon Beads; beading wire from Cousin Corp. of America; gem glue from Beacon.
Copyright © April 2007 Simply Beads magazine. All rights reserved. |
