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4 Simple Steps for Multi-Strand Jewelry-Making Mania

Sep 27, 2010 by Kristal Wick
Kristal Wick
Kristal Wick
is the editor of
Beading Daily.		 I like to play games with myself. I don't mean childhood games such as Monopoly, Candy Land, or heaven forbid, Twister. The kinds of games I play with myself as an adult are what I like to call "designer games." I'll see some beautiful flowers in a garden with a variety of colors I would never put together myself, yet when Mother Nature does it, she "makes it work" to quote style guru, Tim Gunn. I then challenge myself to create a piece of jewelry using those same colors. I also enjoy challenging myself to go outside my designing comfort zone and throw a pile of "bead soup" on my studio table, close my eyes, clear my mind, take a deep breath, countdown: 3-2-1, dive into that pile and make something spectacular.

My latest game is actually this blog. Beading Daily peeps, my intention is to inspire you enough to play along. One of my fave trends these days is multi-strand jewelry pieces. That appealingly disheveled layered look is not only fun to wear, it's even more fun to make. I picked out my top multi-strand jewelry from the latest issue of Stringing magazine. I examined each one thoughtfully, and then made some of my own jewelry, pouring that fresh inspiration right into my necklace made with crystals, pearls, fabric beads, resin nuggets, and chain.

Fleur-de-lis by Kristy Abner is top on my list. The mix of antique copper and golds with pearls and chain is perfect for fall. This is definitely a show stopper.

Coral Confluence by Toni McCarthy is four strands mixed with brass and gold plated chain, coral beads, and a lovely splash of turquoise.

Memories of Tucson by Kelly Angeley delightfully mixes hand-dyed silk ribbon with stones, copper chain, stones, and lampworked beads to create this richly textured stunner.
Make your own multi-strand necklace in 4 simple steps

String three strands of your favorite beads and components onto beading wire making sure each strand is the same length.
Crimp all six ends.

Open jump ring and insert three crimped ends and chain end. Close jump ring. Repeat for other side.

Add toggle and bar to other end of chain with jump rings.


Turn to Stringing for a wealth of projects, techniques, tips and INSPIRATION!

Come bead with me.

Creatively,

 

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Comments

 
Georgia@36 wrote
on Sep 27, 2010 10:10 AM

I received an email with a link to download "Bead Making Instructions for Beaded Beads: How to Make Beads from Beading Daily"...every time I try to download this e-book, I get an "ACCESS DENIED" screen.  What am I doing wrong?  I've never encountered this before (and I love the free patterns :-)

Georgia

butmum1234 wrote
on Sep 27, 2010 10:53 AM

Kristal, surely you know that you cannot crimp onto an open jump ring - it must always be a soldered ring - else those three crimped strands here are going to find that little space in the open ring and... bingo...your necklace falls apart!! Why can't the instructions read to crimp on to a soldered ring, then attach a jump ring which attaches to the chain? To me, this is a much more secure necklace.  

Pt.LomaGirl wrote
on Sep 27, 2010 11:21 AM

Kristal,

Thank you for the instructions for stringinmg mutiple stands for a necklace.  I had never thought of crimping them then adding them them to a jump ring.  Do you leave a loop in the crimped end(s) and them put on the jump ring?  I wasn't sure how you meant to attach them to the the ring.  Also, could you tell me how to find the pattern for "Fleur-de-lis" necklace by Krsity Abner.  That is one good-looking necklace.  Thanks again.

Kathy Kemp

Ricki Ayer wrote
on Sep 27, 2010 12:36 PM

I immediately had the same thought as butmum1234.  Seems no matter how teeny tiny that gap is on an open jump ring, one of those crimped pieces of wire is going to find a way to slip through the gap.   The idea of attaching to a closed jump ring before crimping and then attaching the closed ring to the open ring is a much safer option.

Kristal Wick wrote
on Sep 27, 2010 9:03 PM

Hi Gang,

The above projects are in the latest Stringing magazine.

Using jump rings or solid rings both work. I've used the process I described above with jump rings for years with no problems what so ever! I make sure the jump ring is VERY tightly closed.

Georgia, the link wasn't working properly so they're working on it and I'm told it will be fixed this week so please check back!

Kristal

ChainmailCreations wrote
on Sep 28, 2010 9:45 PM

I work with jump rings in everything I do (chainmail). If you close the jump ring properly, there should be no problem!

If you're concerned about it, and don't have a way to solder the rings. You can double the ring up on each side, this will give it a less chance to find its way to that one little gap. Plus it can give extra strength. You would just have to make sure your loops from the crimping is big enough to accommodate for 2 jump rings instead of one.

gabrielschmerler wrote
on Oct 22, 2011 3:51 AM

Check out this new way of making  multi strand jewelry and connectings components to your jewelry designs www.themagicfinding.com

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