How to Make a Crystal Layering Necklace

This post is brought to you by Beadalon.com.  All opinions are yours truly.Have you been to a bead show lately?  I have and I can tell you there are so many stunning strands of quartz crystals and druzy beads.  It’s not good for the pocket book.  Take a peek at some of the ones I brought home from Bead Fest Philly Summer.

I am especially smitten with, well all of them.  Well.  Except maybe the blue ones.  I don’t know what happens to me when I’ve been around beads too long (it also happens when I’m in Walmart too long), but I inevitably end up with something that I just. don’t. know. why. I. bought.  Sigh.  It’s cool, but is it jewelry worthy?  The verdict is still out and may be for a very very long time.  It’s over indulging I think.  Eating dessert when you’ve already had a slice of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving.  Just too much of a good thing!The main materials are Beadalon‘s Champagne colored beading wire in 49 strand, .024″, brass stamped chain, #2 or 3 crimp tubes will work and some crimping pliers and wire cutters.

I also worked in some added strands from Dakota Stones–more purplish quartz chips and gold hematite squares.

These colors are all over the Fall look books so I know this necklace is going to get a workout in the next couple of months.I was so happy to find I still had 10″ of my very favorite colored Beadalon wire to use for this.  I love champagne anything!  However, Beadalon makes beading wire in pretty much every color in the rainbow!

Note! These stones are heavy and have rough edges that can potentially saw through thinner beading wires.  That happened to me once (love learning those lessons the hard way!) so take it from me, get the good stuff!  Beadalon, .024″ 49 strand is the way to go because it’s super embarrassing to say you “make jewelry” and then have gems and beads scattering all over the floor.  Even more humiliating to be on your hands and knees picking them up at a party.  None the less, when using stones like this, it’s always a good idea to take a peek at how the wire is doing and holding up.String the tail of your wire through a crimp bead, the last link of chain and back through the crimp bead.  Grab your crimping pliers!Place the crimp bead in the opening closest to the handles and smoosh down like so.Turn the crimp bead 90 degrees, place in the next opening away from the handles and fold it on over like this:See how it folds the crimp bead over?This necklace does not have a clasp.  I simply determined how long I wanted the necklace to be so I could slip it on and off, opened a link of chain from side to side and removed the extra which will be used for a rainy day.Slide all the beads to the finished end, string a crimp onto the wire and through the last link of chain and crimp again.  Trim the excess wire.Blissfully simple!
Meet your new favorite necklace!  She can roll solo or party with a few necklaces.