Retired - Cherished Flower Necklace

Note: Components and tools listed within this INSTRUCTIONS box and the printer-friendly PDF, if available, may have been discontinued since this project was published. Refer to the PURCHASE COMPONENTS and TOOLS AND OTHER SUPPLIES sections for current availability.

1. This project takes almost a week because we have to wait for your flower to be pressed and for the resin to cure, so please keep this in mind when beginning it.
2. Go to your garden or an outside area and find a petite flower no larger then 1". Press this flower between several heavy books for 2 - 3 days.
3. Once your flower has "dried", we are going to encase it in resin, Begin by spraying your mold with mold release spray. Work the spray into the mold and allow to dry. Make sure there are no fibers or dust particles in your mold before you go onto the next step.
4. Mix a small amount of resin, let the resin sit for 5 minutes so that some of the bubbles will rise to the surface and pop. Pour into your mold, filling half way full. If you are unsteady pouring, use your stir stick to transfer the resin to the mold ("grabbing" some resin on the tip of the stick and then holding the stick over the mold cavity so that it can drip in). If you get any bubbles in your resin, try applying some heat to it, a heat gun works best, but you can also use a blow dryer. Let dry for 24 hours. Once dry, place your pressed flower into the mold face down. Pour a layer of resin over the flower until you get to the top of the mold. Again, check for bubbles then let cure for 3 days.
5. Unwrap all the silk on one of the Griffin Silk cards. Using your fingers, try to stretch the silk and work out some of the kinks. On the end without the needle, tie a double knot 3.5" from the end. Leave the tail, do not cut off.
6. Begin to finger crochet your silk thread. At random intervals, crochet in a seed bead, Czech glass bead, Austrian crystal pearl, or Austrian crystal crystal bicone. For your reference, I used a total of 12 seed beads, 5 Czech glass beads, 6 pearls, and 5 crystal bicones on this section of the project. Finger crochet, adding beads along the way, until you have a 16" length crocheted. This will use up almost all of your silk strand. When you get to the end of the 16", tie a double knot. Do not cut off the tail, just set aside at this point.
7. Unwrap all the silk from your second Griffin Silk card. Again, tie a double knot about 3.5" from the end that does not have the needle and leave the tail. String 2 - 7 seed beads then create a knot using the pearl knotting technique. String another 2 - 7 seed beads and create another knot. Continue this random pattern, occasionally adding one of your other bead types as you go, tying knots as you go. This very random approach to stringing will add interest to the finished design. A word of advice, try to spread out your larger beads throughout your length, do not cluster them all on one end. Continue adding beads and pearl knotting until you have a 16" length done. At this point, tie a double knot and then cut off the silk, leaving a tail of 3.5" inches. Repeat this entire step with the rest of your silk, creating another length which is 16" long.
8. At this point you should have 3 strands, each 16" long, and each with a tails on their ends. For all of the strands, repeat the following step: Take the tail of the silk and thread it through the hole at the bottom of your gold knot cover. Pull snug so that the knot cover is sitting on the beadwork you did. Using the same method as pearl knotting, carefully tie a knot on the inside of the knot cover as close and snug to the base as possible. Then tie several more knots using the pearl knotting method. When done, cut off what's left of the tail and place a dab of GS Hypo Cement over your knots. Using you chain nose pliers, close the knot cover, thus concealing your knots. Take your chain nose pliers and then bend the open loop at the top down so that you create a closed loop.
9. Open a jump ring and link onto it one end of each of your three strands through the loops at the top of your knot covers. Close the jump ring. Repeat on the other side of your necklace, this time adding the clasp to the jump ring before you close it.
10. Open and then link together 8 jump rings, creating a chain. On the last jump ring, link the matte gold barberry charm and then close the jump ring. On the end opposite the charm, link the jump ring to the jump ring which is already holding your strands together (the side opposite the clasp).
11. Remove your resin encased flower from its mold. You can do this by applying pressure with your fingers on the underside center of the mold. Press until it pops out.
12. Take your matte gold twin fig leaves pendant and line it up on the underside of your resin flower. Decide how you want to position it, making sure that the loop of the pendant setting is sticking out from the resin. Once decided, look for an area where your flower is pretty solid looking and that overlaps the metal of your fig flower. On the underside of the resin flower round, place a dab of E6000 in this inconspicuous spot where you saw the overlapping. What you are trying to do is make it so your glue does not show through to the front side. Press into place and let dry.
13. Once dry. link a jump ring through the top loop of the gold casting. Before closing, also thread through the jump ring all three beaded strands at their center points. Close the jump ring.
14. Enjoy!

• XCR-9408 - Griffin Silk Beading Cord & Needle Size 4 Jade Green
  Project uses 12 feet. You will need 2 packages.


• FCR-2060 - 22K Gold Plated Clamshells Knot Covers (50)
  Project uses 6 pieces. You will need 1 package.


• FCL-2539 - Matte Gold Plated Sleek Lobster Claw Clasps 12mm (6)
  Project uses 1 piece. You will need 1 package.


• FJR-3100 - Matte 16K Gold Plated Open Jump Rings 6mm 20 Gauge (50)
  Project uses 2 pieces. You will need 1 package.


• BCS-1161 - Czech Seed Beads 11/0 Light Gold Supra Metallic (1 Hank)
  Project uses 1 hank. You will need 1 package.


• SWP-4023 - Austrian Crystal, 5810 Round Faux Pearl Beads 4mm, 50 Pieces, Burgundy
  Project uses 20 pieces. You will need 1 package.


• BCP-34201 - Czech Fire Polished Glass Beads 4mm Round Matte Metallic Gold (50)
  Project uses 20 pieces. You will need 1 package.


• XTL-1002 - G S Hypo Fabric Cement Glue Precise (Rhinestones)
  Project uses 1 piece. You will need 1 package.


• TRC-12 - Ice Resin Epoxy, Jewelers Grade Clear Casting Kit, 1 Ounce
  Project uses 1 piece. You will need 1 package.


• TRC-04 - Casting Epoxy Resin Mold Release And Conditioner 4 oz.
  Project uses 1 piece. You will need 1 package.


• XTL-1054 - E6000 Industrial Strength Glue Adhesive (0.18 fl oz)
  Project uses 1 piece. You will need 1 package.


• TRC-179 - Resin Epoxy Mold For Jewelry Casting - 6 Round Cabochons 1 Inch.
  Project uses 1 piece. You will need 1 package.

• XTL-5511 - Beadsmith Jeweller's Micro Pliers Chain Nose Flat Nose