RIBBON BEAD NECKLACE

I came up with the idea of bead wrapping after receiving a delivery of lovely French ribbons and couldn’t resist using some. I wanted to make the ribbon the real feature of the piece rather than just a pretty stringing material.

I’ve already come up with quite a few other uses for these beads including Christmas decorations but that’s another project for another day.

Step 1. Wrapping your beads. Starting with the 24mm central bead - thread the gingham ribbon onto the needle and pull through until you are left with about a 1cm end secure with a tiny dab of glue. (See black gingham bead in Pic. 1) continue threading the ribbon through the bead, working clockwise around the bead until you have covered it completely. With each new ribbon loop overlap the last by about 1mm to make sure you have no gaps.

Try to keep the ribbon from twisting inside the hole as there will only just be enough space for the last loop of ribbon to fit through, you may need a bit of help from your pliers to pull the needle through. When you have completely covered the bead pull the ribbon through for the last time secure with a dob of glue (making sure not to block the hole) and trim the ribbon as closely as possible. (See pic 2.)

Thread the Frost saucers and rounds in the same way but leave a gap between the loops of ribbon so that you see the bead in-between each piece of ribbon.

Step 2. Threading your beads - using one eye pins for each of the beads, push the eye pin through the bead, (for the wrapped beads make sure you go with the ribbon not against it or you may push the ribbon end just trimmed back through the hole) then with your round nosed pliers loop the other end and then trim the excess pin with your cutters (see pic. 3). Thread all 9 beads in the same manor; don't forget to add the 2 caps to the large bead and the hammered spacers to the crystals and the saucer beads.

Step 3. Joining the beads - Use a pair of flat nose pliers to slightly open end of the eye pin thread on the next bead and then close the eye pin loop repeat until you have joined all the beads one to another.

Step 4. Make your entwined ring to attach the beads to the cord by following clockwise the 2 steps in picture 5. Open the eyepin on the last bead attach the entwined jump ring and close up.

Step 5. Attaching the cord and clasp - cut the piece of cotton cord into two equal lengths (the length is up to you and how long you would like the necklace to be) thread one piece through the twined jump ring (see pic. 6) Bring together the 2 ends of cord inside the cord end then secure by closing one side of the finding then the other with the flat nose pliers. I find this a fiddly job and sometimes pop in a dob of glue to hold the cord in place while closing the cord end. Repeat on the other side with the second piece of cord. Attach the toggle clasp to the cord with the last 2 jump rings. Sit back and admire!!

MATERIALS REQUIRED

• 1 x 24mm Large hole wooden bead
• 2 x 18x11mm brown acrylic frosted saucer bead
• 2 x 14mm brown acrylic frosted round bead
• 2 x 12x10mm half opaque red crystal donuts
• 2 x antique copper (a/c)
• 3 Rose beads
• 2 x a/c Spiral bead caps
• 8 x a/c small hammered spacer beads
• 8 x 7mm a/c jump rings
• 9 x 50mm a/c eye pins
• 2 x a/c large cord ends
• 1 x large toggle clasp a/c
• 1m of cotton cord in 2mm rust red
• 1m length of 10mm red gingham ribbon
• 1m length of 4mm cream/rust edged ribbon
• 1m length of 4mm orange/red threaded ribbon

TOOLS, GLUES & TIPS

• Pliers - Round nose, flat nose and flush cutters
• A large eye tapestry needle for threading
• GS Hypo cement or UHU and a cocktail stick
• A bead reamer or round file (not essential)
• Also try this design with the black and cream gingham and the black and cream edged ribbon with the silver shade 10x8 donuts.
• The bigger the hole and the finer the ribbon the easier the threading!!
• If you’re using our lovely silk ribbon use the glue sparingly as it will show through.
• Use the reamer, file on the wooden bead to prevent snagging