Future Momo Jewelry

Floating bead necklace tutorial

It's time for another tutorial!  This tutorial is for a floating bead necklace, a very simple, versatile design that can be done in many different ways. 

Materials needed:
14 silver crimp beads
1 silver clasp
1 silver dogtag
2 silver jumprings
12 Czech crystal rondelles in topaz ab
6 6mm Czech crystals in topaz ab
tiger tail
crimping tool
flat nosed pliers
round nosed pliers
wire cutters

Step 1:
Cut a 20" piece (or 4" longer than your desired necklace length) of tiger tail with your wire cutters.  String one end of the tiger tail through a crimp bead, then through a jumpring, then back through the crimp bead.  Use your crimping tool to close the crimp. Trim the excess wire with your wire cutters. 

Step 2:
String another crimp about 1/2" from the end and close with the crimping tool.  String one rondelle, one round crystal and another rondelle onto the tiger tail.  String another crimp and close with the crimping tool. 













Step 3:
Repeat step 2 with your remaining beads, placing each set about 1" apart from each other.

Step 4:
String the last crimp bead onto the tiger tail, through the last jumpring, and then back through the crimp bead.  Make sure this side matches the first both in the distance from the beads and in the size of loop around the jumpring.  Close the crimp bead.  Trim the extra tiger tail.




















Step 5:
With your round nosed pliers and flat nosed pliers, open one jumpring and attach the clasp.  Close the jumpring securely.

Step 6:
With your pliers, open the other jumpring and attach the dogtag.


















And you're done!














Alternatively, you can also use clamshells instead of crimp beads to finish the ends.

This design is quick, easy and can use whatever materials strike your fancy.  Use pearls, semiprecious stones, wood, or even seed beads.  You can also add strands by using a multistrand endbar.   

So, enjoy!  I'd love to see any jewelry you make using this tutorial!  Please send pictures to the email address on my about page.

Beaded ponytail holder tutorial

It's a dreary rainy day here in San Francisco so I thought I would liven things up a bit by posting a tutorial on how to make a beaded ponytail holder.  I did a bunch of these for a trunk show goodie bag that the SF Craft Mafia held late last year.

Materials needed:
10 beads or stones of your choice
10 headpins
4 inches of 20 gauge wire
wire cutters
round nose pliers

Step 1:  Take your chosen beads and string them onto the headpins.  Make a loop with your round nose pliers.  To do this, grasp the headpin with the pliers just above the bead and bend to a 90 degree angle.  Then grasp the tip of the headpin with the pliers and curl the wire into a loop.

(The 3 stages: on the headpin, the headpin bent at 90 degrees and the headpin curled)

Step 2:  Cut a 4-inch piece of 20 gauge wire and string your finished beads on it through the loop.  Bend the wire in half so the beads all hang in the center.  You can twist the wire just above the beads to help keep them in place if you like.

Step 3: Take the ponytail holder and place the center of the wire with your beads against it.   Wrap each side of the wire in opposite directions around the ponytail holder. Finish the wire at the base of the holder (opposite side of the beaded portion) and clip off any excess wire.

And voila! You have a simple but pretty hair accessory.