School Holiday Project 49: Make A Beaded Necklace With A Pendant

What is more spectacular than a pretty beaded necklace with a pendant of your choice? We make just such a necklace in today's blog. The necklace we make has a lot of repetitive actions. This may make it slightly daunting for younger kids. I would advise doing this one with kids of mid-primary school level and up, unless you are prepared to step in and finish the project yourself. Older kids should be able to master the tricky bits by themselves and will learn a couple of actual jewelry making techniques in the process.

I use some fish gut and seed beads for this project. I like the idea of not following a pattern for this particular necklace. That means that the mixed seed beads you see in the bottom left corner of this container, is perfect to use on my necklace. Do you prefer an ordered pattern? Then go for it! This is your necklace and it should testify to your own creativity, rather than be a copy of what I did.

I cut a length of fish gut from the reel and tie one end off with a triple knot to make sure my beads do not slip off that end. I randomly take seed beads from the container and string them onto the fish gut.

When I reach the halfway mark, I stop to insert the pendant. You can simply slip the pendant on as is, or you can secure your necklace at this point the way I did.

I take a single link from a chain and a jump ring. I connect the chain link and the pendant to each other with the jump ring.

I then slide a crimp cover onto the fish gut. I cover the last bead with the crimp cover and use my flat-nosed pliers to clamp the crimp cover shut on the bead.

I then slide the pendant onto the gut, followed by another crimp cover. I crimp a similar bead into the crimp cover and continue stringing beads onto the remaining half of the fish gut.

When I reach the end of the gut, I slip two crimp beads onto the gut.

I slide a jump ring onto the gut and then loop the gut back through both the crimp beads. I use flat-nosed pliers to crimp the crimp beads flat. I do this on both ends of the fish gut.

I then slip a lobster claw clasp onto one of the jump rings.

My finished string of beads with its pendant. I would love to see photos of yours in the comments.

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy the books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.

Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
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