Pink Heart Necklace

Afternoon Everyone!

Here is a tutorial of how to make a cute little necklace using freshwater pearls, Swarovski crystals and a lampworked heart bead as the focal bead.

Making this necklace will help you to learn the basics of how to use tigertail, crimps and jumprings.

Tigertail is nylon covered wire that is used for stringing on beads.  It is strong and flexible but unfortunately it does kink easily so be aware of this when working with it.  Tigertail comes in many different colours.  For this necklace I used gold.

Crimps are small metal tubes that are threaded onto tigertail and squished with flat nose pliers.  They can be used to either stop beads from moving or help attach a clasp securely.

A jumpring is a metal ring that can be used to attach clasps, beads or even make chainmail.

To make this necklace you will need:

Tools:
Flat Nose Pliers
Side Cutters
Round Nose Pliers
Chain Nose Pliers
Ruler

Findings:
Tigertail
Crimps
Eye Pins
Jump Rings
Parrot Clasp
I used all gold findings.

Beads:
Heart Lampwork Bead
Pink and Green Freshwater Pearls
Crystal Bicone Swarovski Beads (6mm)

Now, to make the necklace:

Cut 2 lengths of tigertail at 40cm each.

Thread on a crimp.

Bend over the tigertail and thread back through the crimp.  Using the flat nose pliers squash the crimp making sure that the tigertail doesn't cross over onto itself.

Trim off the excess tigertail with the side cutters.  Repeat with the second piece of tigertail.

Thread the heart bead onto the 2 crimped tiger tails.

Thread on a crimp.  Using a ruler measure 15mm along the tigertail from the top of the bead and squash the crimp using flat nosed pliers.  Repeat on the other piece of tigertail.

Thread on the beads.

Thread on a crimp and squash it as close to the beads as possible so that they can not move up or down the tigertail.

Repeat on the second piece of tigertail.

Measure another 15mm along the tigertail and place a crimp. Repeat on the other piece of tigertail.

Thread on the beads and a crimp to stop them from moving.

Continue to add beads and crimps with 15mm between each set.

Once the desired length has been reached (for me that was 50cm and 12 sets of beads) thread on a crimp and a jumpring.

Thread the tigertail back through the crimp and squash it closed using the flat nose pliers.

Trim off the excess tigertail using the side cutters.

Open the jumpring to the side and thread on the parrot clasp.  Don't open the jumpring out as it will lose its shape.  Use a jumpring here so that if the clasp ever breaks it is easy to replace.

On the second tigertail, thread on a larger jump ring for the parrot clasp to hook onto.

Pull the tigertail tight and crimp.  Trim off the excess tigertail.

Thread 3 beads onto head pins and make the loops.  If you are not sure how to do this click here for a tutorial.

Open up one of the beads and thread it through the 2 loops at the bottom of the heart.  Remember to open the loop to the side not outwards.

Open the loops on the beads.  Thread the second bead through the loop of the first and the third bead through the loop of the second.

Once you master the basics of beading you can change the colours to make jewellery to match any outfit.  Or even make matching earrings!