DIY Pearl and Chain Spike Choker (and How to Finish a Necklace with Crimp Beads)
Sometimes you’re feeling a little ladylike…and a little edgy at the same time. This pearl and chain choker pairs so well with both demure outfits and darker streetwear easily. All you need is aluminum chain, glass beads, jumprings, and a closure.
And of course some hematite spike beads for that necessary wild child. Here’s how to make your own with some affordable supplies from PandaHall: (and a brush up on How to Use Crimp Beads, below)
You Need:
aluminum twisted curb chain (5 mm wide) // silver color aluminum twisted curb chain (5 mm wide) // 6mm white glass imitation pearl beads // non-magnetic hematite rectangle beads / matching jumprings (6 medium, can all be the same size) // 2 crimp beads // 2 (two) 3-strand necklace ends // Beadalon nylon stringing cord // chain cutting pliers // crimp pliers // jump ring tool (or another set of pliers)
How To:
1. Attach one end of the chain to one of the necklace ends with a jumpring.
2. Hold the flat curb chain against your neck and decide how long you want it (mine was 14″). Use the chain cutting pliers to cut it at that point.
3. Attach that end to the other necklace end, being careful to keep the chain flat.
4. Attach the next oval link chain in the same way, making a little longer than the first so it will drape lower and lay flat.
How to Finish a Necklace Using Crimp Beads
5. Crimp beads are an easy, clean way to finish a cord necklace, and they look really great. Thread one crimp bead onto the end of your Beadalon cord, leaving about 1″.
6. Thread a jumpring onto the end.
7. Curve the cord around the jumpring and back into the crimp bead. Make sure the loop around the jump ring is small.
8. Use crimping pliers to first smash the crimp bead flat (in the grooves closest to the plier center), then bend the flattened ends towards each other (in the hole closest to the plier tips). You’ll make the crimp bead into a flattened hot dog shape.
Voila!
9. Attach the jumpring onto the final loop of the necklace clasp, below the chains.
10. Estimate how long you need and cut the wire a little longer than the length of the longest chain.
11. Start threadiing pearls onto the wire. Use the first pearl/s to hide the end of the wire.
12. When you are close to where the center of the wire would be, start adding hematite spike beads.
13. Add a spike bead, a pearl, and another spike bead in a graduated manner.
14. Continue adding pearls once the center spikes are finished. Once your strand of pearls is as long as you want it (slightly longer than the bottom chain so it hangs below it), add a crimp bead.
15. Be careful to hold the crimp bead close to the last pearl, and finish the end of the wire as before. Tuck the long end into the last pearl bead/s.
16. Use a jumpring to attach to the remaining open loop in the necklace closure.
And that’s it!
It’s a little fiddly and something you’ll want to do while watching your fave TV show to pass the time…but once done this 3-strand sophisticated choker has maximum impact.
You can make your own just by checking out PandaHall.com for the best beading supplies!
Happy DIY’ing!
xo
Carly
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