BEADING LEVEL                  INTERMEDIATE
DESIGN PRINCIPLE            RHYTHM. MOTION AND EMPHASIS
BEADING METHOD             PLAIN LOOP  DANGLES & PEARL STRINGING
CATEGORY                            BRIDAL / EVENING WEAR (TRES CHIC)

BEFORE WE START ON THIS PROJECT, A WORD OF ADVICE ON PEARLS. REMEMBER A PEARL STARTED OFF AS A TINY GRAIN OF SAND COVERED EVENTUALLY WITH NACRE, A SUBSTANCE PRODUCED BY THE  OYSTER OR CLAM. WHEN THE HOLE IS DRILLED THROUGH THE PEARL IT SLOWLY FILLS UP WITH SAND AGAIN. THAT IS WHY PEARLS USUALLY HAVE VERY TINY HOLES AND ARE DIFFICULT TO SEW THROUGH OR STRING.  A PEARL REAMER IS A HANDY TOOL TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM

pearlreamers

NEVER USE TIGERTAIL TO  STRING PEARLS. IT TENDS  TO BEND AND ONCE THAT HAPPENS YOU WONT BE ABLE TO FIX IT AGAIN. AS PEARLS LOOK WELL WHEN “FLOATING” RATHER USE PEARL SILK OR STRONG BEADING THREAD.

MAKE DANGLES:

USING HEADPINS AND CHOSEN ASSORTMENT

MAKE+- 50 DANGLES. VARY COLOURS AND SIZES TO MAKE A
NICE VARIETY. MAKE AT LEAST 10 DANGLES WITH SIZE 6mm

MAIN COLOUR ie THE LARGEST OF YOUR STRING PEARLS.

USE #11 SEED BEADS  TO SERVE AS STOPPERS

STRING DANGLE

MAKE PLAIN LOOPS WITH ROUND NOSE PLIERS FOLLOWING

THESE 4 STEPS:
                                                                                                                                          
ASSORTMENT OF DANGLES WHEN FINISHED:
+- 50 DANGLES WITH PLAIN LOOPS

                                                                                     
MAKE FOCAL BEAD:
WITH SONO AND#10 BEADING NEEDLE, SEW LARGE PEARL ONTO FRONT OF ABALONE TO COVER HOLE. SEW TO BACK. PICK UP 6 #11 BEADS TO SERVE AS BAIL AND SEW BACK THROUGH ABALONE HOLE AND THROUGH PEARL. NOW MAKE 3 FRINGES TO HANG FROM PEARL AS ON FOTO. SEW BACK UP FRINGE AND PEARL TO EXIT BACK OF ABALONE. SEW THROUGH BAIL A FEW TIMES TO STRENGTHEN IT AND FINISH OFF THREAD NEATLY.

START STRINGING:

PLACE FOCAL BEAD AT 23cm

POINT ON BOARD, ATTACH TOGGLE RING AND WITH GRIFFIN SILK AND SILK STRINGING NEEDLE START STRINGING SEED PEARLS TO 9cm POINT, THEN  STRING 6mm BAROQUE PEARLS UP 17cm POINT, THEN STRING 25 DANGLES SPACING COLOUR AND VARIETY EQUALLY, PICK UP FOCAL BEAD THROUGH BAIL AND REPEAT PROCESS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF STRING. LASTLY ATTACH TOGGLE OF FINDING. FINISH OFF ALL THREADS. MAKE SURE THAT COLLIER HANGS STRAIGHTAS THE FOCAL BEADS IS ASYMMETRICAL.

YOUR FINISHED PIECE SHOULD NOW LOOK LIKE THIS:
FINISHED PIECE ON WORKING BOARD

TIPS ON PEARLS:
BAROQUE PEARLS: BAROQUE MERELY MEANS OF UNEVEN SHAPE SO THIS IS NOT A SPECIFIC PEARL. IT COULD BE OF ANY COLOUR OR SIZE. SEED PEARLS: ARE OF EVEN SHAPE. ALSO AVAILABLE IN VARIETY OF COLOURS AND SIZES.

MAKE A TURQUOISE AND SILVER COLLIER WITH SAME DESIGN. THIS ONE YOU CAN DRESS UP OR DRESS DOWN FROM A CLAM BAKE AT MUISBOS TO A BLACK TIE AT THE NELLE! TURQUOISE AND SILVER ON CHAIN