Fast fall fashion

A necklace comes together quickly with elaborate chain

by DonnaMarie Bates

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This ingenious cable chain has large oval links attached, so to make an abundantly detailed necklace you simply add beads. Try warm orange shades of carnelian, or cool things down with blue chalcedony or green jasper. With just a few wrapped loops, you’ll be on the fast track to seasonal style.

2To make a bead unit: On a head pin, string three or four 8–12mm beads,

5mm beads, bicones, or pearls. Make the first half of a wrapped loop. Make four pairs of bead units.

1necklace • To make a briolette unit: Cut a 3-in. (7.6cm) piece of wire.

String a briolette and make a set of wraps above it (Basics). String a 5mm bead and a pearl or a bicone crystal, and make the first half of a wrapped loop (Basics) perpendicular to the briolette. Make six briolette units. Set aside one unit for step 6.

3Decide how long you want your necklace to be and cut a piece of

chain to that length. Make sure the center link is a 9mm link without an attached 20mm link. (My necklace is 16 in./41cm.) Attach a briolette unit to the center link, and complete the wraps.

4On each side, attach a bead unit to the next 9mm link without an

attached 20mm link. Complete the wraps. Repeat five times, attaching briolette units and bead units to the next five 9mm links without attached 20mm links.

5Check the fit, and trim chain from each end if necessary. Open a jump

ring (Basics). On one end, attach a lobster claw clasp and close the jump ring. Repeat on the other end, substitut-ing a soldered jump ring for the clasp.

6Attach a briolette unit to the soldered jump ring. Complete

the wraps.

necklace• 6 10–17mm briolettes, in two styles• 16–20 8–12mm beads• 8–12 5mm round beads• 11–15 4mm bicone crystals • 3–7 3–4mm pearls• 18 in. (46cm) 24- or 26-gauge half-hard wire• 16–19 in. (41–48cm) chain, 9mm and 20mm links (Silver in Style, silverinstylellc.com)• 8 21⁄2-in. (6.4cm) head pins• 2 4mm jump rings• lobster claw clasp and soldered jump ring• chainnose and roundnose pliers• diagonal wire cutters

earrings• 2 10–17mm briolettes• 2 4mm bicone crystals• 6 in. (15cm) 24- or 26-gauge half-hard wire• 2 4–6mm decorative jump rings• pair of earring wires• chainnose and roundnose pliers• diagonal wire cutters

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©2007 Kalmbach Publishing Co. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher.

1earrings • Cut a 3-in. (7.6cm) piece of wire. String a briolette and make

a set of wraps above it (Basics). String a bicone crystal and make the first half of a wrapped loop (Basics) perpendicular to the briolette.

EDITOR’S TIPBecause this chain has additional links, it costs more than most sterling silver chain. It’s sold by the foot, so consider making a bracelet too. You can make a 17-in. (43cm) necklace and a 7-in. (18cm) bracelet from 2 ft. (61cm) of chain.

2Attach the loop to a decorative jump ring. Complete the wraps.

Open the loop of an earring wire (Basics). Attach the dangle and close the loop. Make a second earring to match the first. ✤