Retired - Crystal Comet 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. The technique we will be primarily using to make this necklace is that of wire wrapping beads around a form. You can view an easy-to-follow video tutorial on this technique here. There are a lot of instructions for this project, but most of it is just repetition so it's really not as difficult as it might first appear.
2. Take 4 of your 25mm Quick Link rounds and lay them out on your work table so that they form a perfect square with their edges touching. You do not want any of the forms to be laying on top of each other, overlapping their edges. Just lay them flat.
3. Cut 4 lengths of 26 gauge German silver plated craft wire, 6 inches long each. At the point where the edges of the rounds meet when laid out in the square above, wire wrap them together. So you will be doing 4 separate wraps, each with one of those 6" lengths of wire. Create tight even wraps, I chose to do 10 wraps for each connection. You can do a few less or a few more. Try to do the same number though at each of the 4 connection points so that it looks even. When you get to the point of completing your wraps and needing to cut off the excess wire, make sure you end your wires and snip them all on the same side of the square of circles. You want all the "ends" to be on the back side and then have just nice clean wraps on the front side. Cut off excess wire with flush cutters and use your flat nose pliers to press the rough wire edge into your wrapping. Set this aside for right now
4. Cut 18" of 26 gauge German silver plated craft wire. Following the technique you learned in the video, take one 20mm Beadalon Quick Links round and make 5 tight wraps (without beads) around one side to secure your wire firmly to the form. Now add 1 Austrian crystal 4mm round bead in crystal comet argent light, make 2 tight wraps of wire without a bead, then add another Austrian crystal crystal comet bead, another 2 wraps, etc. Follow this pattern until you have 5 beads wire wrapped around the form and then end with 5 tight wraps. Snip off excess wire with flush cutters and use your flat nose pliers to press the rough wire edge into your wrapping. Create 2 more 20mm Quick Link rounds identical to the one you just made. Set these aside for a few minutes while you go to the next step.
5. Cut a 30" length of 26 gauge German silver plated craft wire. Hold your square of circles (which has been wire wrapped together) at a diagonal so it becomes a diamond. Choose one of the circles which will be the base of the diamond. Onto this circle, start wire wrapping your cut length of craft wire. Start right up next to where you have already wire wrapped. Make 12 tight winds of wire neatly around the Quick Links round before adding the first bead. You are making it so the beads will be located at the base of your diamond and centered. After your 12 wraps, add 1 Austrian crystal 4mm round bead in crystal comet argent light, make 2 tight wraps of wire without a bead, then add another Austrian crystal crystal comet bead, another 2 wraps, etc. Follow this pattern until you have 9 beads wire wrapped around the form. Now make even tight wire wraps without beads around the form until you get to the point where you had wire wrapped the Quick Links rounds together. Make sure to end your wire wrapping all on the "back side" which you determined when you first wire wrapped your rounds together. Snip off excess wire with flush cutters and use your flat nose pliers to press the rough wire edge into your wrapping.
6. Refer to the photo to help with this step. Find the 3 20mm rounds which you wire wrapped with beads in a previous step. Take one of them and place it inside the 25mm Quick Link round at the base of your diamond which you just wire wrapped. You want to position it so the beaded edge of the 20mm round is just slightly overlapping the beaded edge of the 25mm round (center the beads so that the 5 beads are evenly spaced between the 9). Then on the opposite edge, you want the rim of the 20mm round to be fit snug up against the 25mm round rim (not on top of but just inside the curve).
7. Cut 6" of 26 gauge German silver plated craft wire. At the point where the above forms meet up top, in the very center, tightly wire wrap the forms together. I recommend finding the middle of your cut piece of craft wire (so at the 3 inch point) and then press that against the forms and start wrapping in one direction, starting from the middle. Once you have completed 4 tight close wraps, go back to the point where you started and using that other 3 inch tail, wrap in the other direction 4 tight close wraps. Stop wrapping and take a good look at your piece. Does it look like the wrapping is off center at all? If so, wrap another couple times around the form in the direction which looks off balance. When you feel everything looks even, cut off any excess wire with your flush cutters and use your flat nose pliers to press the rough edges into the wrapping.
8. Position your other two wire wrapped beaded 20mm Quick Link rounds in the two 25mm Quick Link rounds which are located at the sides of your diamond (so the ones connected to the base one you have beaded). Position them with their bead work facing down towards the bottom of the diamond. Also make it so that their beadwork just slightly lays on top of the bottom rim of the 25mm round they are set into and their top edge fits up snug against the top rim of the 25mm round (again, not overlapping just flush up against the inside curve).
9. Cut a 6" length of wire.
10. Now that you see how the rounds will be positioned, remove one of them and set aside. WIth the other, carefully hold it and the diamond shape up with your fingers and keep them in position. Wire wrap the top area where the 20mm round rests up against the 25mm round. Follow the same process you have been using with the rest of the piece to wire wrap. When done, cut another 6" length of wire and wire wrap the other 20mm beaded round onto the other side of the diamond.
11. Take your two feet of chain and divide in half. Do not cut your chain, but instead use a pair of pliers to carefully open the connector links. What you want to do is end up with two pieces of chain with identical number of links. You also want to make sure that each end of the chain ends in one of those smaller connector links.
12. Open up the connector link on one end of chain with pliers and link it to the non-beaded "empty" 25mm Beadalon Quick Link at the top of your diamond. Close the connector link with your pliers. Take the other length of chain and do the same thing.
13. On the side of each chain length which is not attached to your diamond shaped focal pendant, attach one half of your hook and eye clasp. Just open up the end connector link and link it to the hoop at the base of your clasp half then close the link back up. Do this to both sides of your chain.
14. You did it! Enjoy!

• BMB-1751 - Beadalon Silver Plated Quick Links 25mm Round (18 Pcs)
  Project uses 4 pieces. You will need 1 package.


• SWC-0412 - Austrian Crystal, 5000 Round Beads 4mm, 12 Pieces, Crystal Comet Argent Light
  Project uses 24 pieces. You will need 2 packages.


• BMB-1754 - Beadalon Silver Plated Quick Links 20mm Round (22 Pcs)
  Project uses 3 pieces. You will need 1 package.


• WCR-4420 - Beadsmith Silver Plated Copper German Bead Wire Craft Wire 26 Gauge/.4mm (20 Meters / 65.6 Feet)
  Project uses 7 feet. You will need 1 package.


• FCL-2603 - Nunn Design Silver Plated Hook & Figure-8 Eye Clasps (2 Set)
  Project uses 1 piece. You will need 1 package.


• CHA-9908 - Silver Plated Eye Link Chain 8 x 28.5mm Bulk By The Foot
  Project uses 2 feet. You will need 2 packages.

• XTL-5511 - Beadsmith Jeweller's Micro Pliers Chain Nose Flat Nose
• XTL-5600 - Xuron Sharp Flush Cutter Pliers - Wire/Soft Flex