Retired - Tribal Elegance 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. Take your 4' of chain and cut it into two lengths: 16 inches and 32 inches. Put the 32 inch chain aside for now. Take your 16 inch length and count the links starting from one end. Count 20 links and on the 21st link take your chain nose pliers and squeeze the middle of the link together - there is already an indent on both sides, just squeeze the sides together. Do this for a total of 13 links. Skip 6 links then squeeze together another 13. Set the chain aside.
2. Cut 30 lengths of 24 gauge wire, 1 inch long each. Taking one wire length, make a simple wire loop, and thread onto the wire 4 transparent frosted teal Toho beads. Make a simple wire loop right after the last bead and cut off excess wire with flush cutters. Make 9 more of these. Following the same pattern of simple wire loop, 4 Toho's, simple wire loop, make the following: 10 sections using marbled opaque turquoise blue Toho's and 6 sections using silver lined frosted black diamond Toho's. Now take 4 more 1 inch lengths and follow the same pattern but only place 2 silver lined frosted black diamond Toho's on each section.
3. Cut 14 lengths of 24 gauge wire, 2 inches long each. Taking one wire length, make a simple wire loop, and thread onto the wire 1 Austrian crystal 4mm Xilion bicone bead, 2 transparent frosted teal Toho beads, 1 Austrian crystal 6mm bicone bead in black diamond AB, 2 transparent frosted teal Toho beads, and another Austrian crystal 4mm Xilion bicone bead . Make a simple wire loop right after the last bead and cut off excess wire with flush cutters. Make 4 more of these. Repeat this same step making 5 more sections but replacing the frosted teal Tohos with turquoise blue Tohos. Again, repeat this same step this time using silver lined frosted black Tohos - make 3 sections of this combination.
4. We are now ready to assemble our necklace. We will be using jump rings which we will place around the squeezed chain links and through the simple wire loops of all the items we made above. Let's begin!
5. Take your 16" chain and find the first squeezed link from one end. Open a 4mm jump ring and place onto it one of the longer bar lengths you made in step 3 with teal Tohos and one of the shorter lengths you made in step 2 with teal Tohos. Place the jump ring around the link (not in it but have it circling the squeezed middle section of the link) and close the jump ring. Move down your chain repeating this same step on the next 4 links so that you have 5 rows of teal Toho sections (see photo). On the next 5 links down the chain, repeat the above step but use the bar length sections you made with turquoise blue Tohos. Continuing down the chain, repeat this step with the next 3 links this time using sections that have the silver lined frosted black Tohos.
6. Count the 6 links which are not squeezed, find the 7th link which should already be squeezed, this will be the link you will be working with. Open a 4mm jump ring and place onto it a 4 bead length you made in step 2 using silver lined frosted black Tohos. Wrap the jump ring around the link and grab the dangling end of the last long bar length you connected in the previous step and place it onto the jump ring. Close the jump ring. Work your way up your chain repeating this exact same step matching the colors you connect until you have all your lengths securely connected to the chain. Through all of this there will be 1 Austrian crystal beaded length from step 3 left over, we will attach it later.
7. It is now time to connect your beads to the 32 inch length of chain. Begin by folding the 32 inch chain in half and finding the middle link. Twist a small piece of wire around this link just to help mark it - we will remove this wire when we are done. From each side of the middle link, count 5 links (not including the middle one). On the 6th link, squeeze the link you like you did on your 16" chain. Squeeze 13 links on each side.
8. On one side of your 32 inch chain, on that 6th link from the middle that is squeezed, wrap a jump ring around it and link onto that jump ring the end of the first silver lined frosted black Toho 4 bead section that is connected to your 16" chain length. Now connect the second Toho section the same way, and on and on until you have all your dangling Toho 4 bead sections on one side of the necklace attached with jump rings to the 32" chain. Once one side is complete, move to the next side so that all your sections are connected. When you hold up your work, you should have a beaded "bib" at this point.
9. Find the 4 beaded sections that you created earlier with a simple wire loop on each end and 2 silver lined frosted black Tohos. Find the middle link of your 32 inch chain. Count 4 links from the middle and on that 4th link, gently open the simple wire loop on one end (of a 2 bead length) and attach it to the side of that 4th link, close the loop. Find the chain link which it corresponds to on the 16" chain and attach it the same way. Repeat this same process on the 5th chain link from the middle link on the 32" chain. Repeat on the other side as well.
10. On your 16" chain, count 4 links from the top of your beadwork. They should not be squeezed. On the 5th link, attach one side of your remaining Austrian crystal beaded length. Do not use a jump ring, just open the simple wire loop, thread it onto one side of the chain link and close the loop back up. Attach it to the other side of the 16" chain the same way.
11. Return your attention to your 32" chain and count from the top of your beadwork 20 chain links on one side. On the 21st link, attach a jump ring and on that jump ring also place the end chain link on one side of your 16" chain. Close the jump ring. Repeat on the other side.
12. Take your clasp and open the loop at the bottom the same way you would open a jump ring. Attach it to the end chain link of your 32" chain section. Close the loop. On the other side of your chain, place a jump ring and attach to it a split ring. Close the jump ring.
13. You did it! Enjoy!

• CHA-7115 - Vintaj Natural Brass Chain 7.5mm x 4mm Ornate 8 Links - Bulk By The Foot
  Project uses 4 feet. You will need 4 packages.


• FCL-4658 - Vintaj Natural Brass Standard Hook For Jewelry Clasps 14mm (6)
  Project uses 1 piece. You will need 1 package.


• FJR-1080 - Antiqued Brass Split rings 6mm (50)
  Project uses 1 piece. You will need 1 package.


• WCR-4207 - BeadSmith Non-Tarnish Antique Brass Color Craft Wire 24 Gauge - 20 Yards
  Project uses 58 inches. You will need 1 package.


• JSK-0212 - Toho Round Seed Beads 11/0 29AF 'Silver Lined Frosted Black Diamond' 8 Gram Tube
  Project uses 1 tube. You will need 1 package.


• JSK-0260 - Toho Round Seed Beads 11/0 7BDF 'Transparent Frosted Teal' 8 Gram Tube
  Project uses 1 tube. You will need 1 package.


• JSK-0157 - Toho Round Seed Beads 11/0 1207 'Marbled Opaque Turquoise/Blue' 8 Gram Tube
  Project uses 1 tube. You will need 1 package.


• SWBI-1411 - Austrian Crystal, 5328 Bicone Beads 4mm, 24 Pieces, Crystal Dorado 2X
  Project uses 28 pieces. You will need 2 packages.


• SWBB-1619 - Austrian Crystal, 5328 Bicone Beads 6mm, 20 Pieces, Black Diamond AB
  Project uses 14 pieces. You will need 1 package.


• FJR-5450 - Antiqued Brass Open Jump Rings 4mm 22 Gauge (x100)
  Project uses 57 pieces. You will need 1 package.

• XTL-5600 - Xuron Sharp Flush Cutter Pliers - Wire/Soft Flex
• XTL-5511 - Beadsmith Jeweller's Micro Pliers Chain Nose Flat Nose
• XTL-5514 - Beadsmith Jewelry Fine Round Nose Micro Pliers