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Center Focus Necklace

by Sandy Paluzzi

  

 

This beautiful necklace is made of graduated Czech fire polish sterling silver bali beads.  The design gets bigger and bolder as it comes forward around the neck towards the center.  First 4mm start at the base of the head.  A few inches down the necklace, the beads become 6mm.  Then the very center of the necklace has 8mm Czech fire polish beads interspersed with bali sterling.  A center piece necklace can present a very classic, yet sophisticated look to a necklace or bracelet.   The kit contains enough beads to make a 16 to 20 inch necklace. This particular bead kit is available in olive green, cobalt blue and peridot Czech Fire polish.  Each kit costs 15.00 plus 2.00 shipping.  To order, email spaluzzi@beadingtimes.com or call 410-882-5973
 

Materials needed for a 16 inch necklace:
14 8mm Czech fire polish beads
24 6mm Czech fire polish beads
34 4mm Czech fire polish beads
1 Large bali sterling center focus bead
2 Bali sterling rondelles
2 8mm bali daisy spacers
1 sterling lobster claw clasp
2 crimp beads
1 sterling jump ring.
20 inches Beadalon 19 .015 wire.

Tools needed
round or flat nose pliers
crimp pliers

  
To begin making your necklace, place the sterling silver daisy spacer on the cord.  Then add 1 8-mm bead, a sterling silver rondelle, 1 8-mm bead, sterling focal bead, 8-mm bead, sterling rondelle, 8mm bead and sterling daisy spacer.  The center portion of your necklace is now complete.

HINT:  Put a bead stopper on one side of your wire to prevent beads from falling off the wire.  If you don't have a bead stopper, you can use a paper clip or put a piece of tape on the very end of the string. 

 
Add 5 more 8-mm beads to first one side, then the other side of your center piece. 
Now add 12 6-mm fire polish beads to the ends of both sides of your necklace.
At this point, your necklace wil look like this.
Now, you are ready to string your 4mm beads - 16 to each side at the end of the 6-mm beads. 
Your necklace is now completely strung and it's time to finish off the piece.
Slide your crimp bead onto the end of one side of the necklace.  Follow by the jump ring.  Use the thread to make a loop around the jump ring and bring it back through the other side of the crimp bead.  Draw your wire taut, making sure to leave a small tail on the inside of the crimp bead and...
Crimp that bead.  Place the crimp bead in the inner jaws of the crimp plier and push.  Take your crimp bead out of the inner hole, turn it and place it into the outer hole of the crimp plier.  Again, close the pliers over the loop.  GENTLY tug at the wire a little to make sure it stays in place. 
Our last step is to apply the lobster claw to the other side of the necklace.  Again, start by sliding the crimp bead onto the wire.  Add another jump ring to this side of the necklace and pull the thread through the jump ring to the other side of the crimp.  Pull your thread gently but firmly until the beads reach the bottom of the crimp bead.  Make sure the beads hang correctly around the necklace before you crimp.                                                                                                              
Again, we're going to crimp that bead.  Place the crimp bead in the inner jaws of the crimp plier and push.  Take your crimp bead out of the inner hole, turn it and place it into the outer hole of the crimp plier.  Again, close the pliers over the loop.  GENTLY tug at the wire a little to make sure it stays in place. 
Finally we'll add our lobster claw.  Slide  the open jump ring attached to your lobster claw onto the crimped jump ring.  Now using your round or flat nose pliers to push against both ends of the open jump ring, push the two ends together until they are closed.  Pull the tail through a few of the end beads and snip it off.
Your necklace is now ready to wear. 


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