Multi-Strand Focal Bead Station Necklace Project

Materials:

• 216 (5 strands) 4mm Czech fire polish beads - blue iris (BI in instructions)
• 44 (1 strand) 4mm Czech fire polish beads - crystal/copper-lined (CL in instructions)
• 112 (3 strands) 3mm Czech fire polish beads - light sapphire (LS in instructions)
• 124 (3 strands) 3mm Czech fire polish beads - sapphire (SA in instructions)
• 5 12mm disc-shaped gold sparkle dark blue beads (1 package)
• 3-strand clasp
• 4 crimping beads
• 2 knot covers

Tools/Notions:

• size 10 or 11 beading needle
• beading thread such as Nymo or Silamide
• scissors
• pliers - crimping or chain nose
• wirecutters
• glue
• light - medium weight FLEXIBLE beading wire, such as SoftFlex or AccuFlex, NOT regular tiger tail

These instructions will make a necklace approximately 18 inches long, depending on the exact size of your clasp. (See our Standard Jewelry Length Chart for necklace length guidance, or if you're just interested.)

When making a multi-strand necklace, start with the inner strand. This strand determines the length of the necklace. A beading design board is helpful for designing the layout of multi-strand necklaces, but is not necessary for this project.

This necklace uses a 3-strand clasp. The inner strand utilizes 1 loop of the clasp, the 2nd and 3rd strands use the middle loop of the clasp, and the 4th strand uses the outer loop of the clasp. The inner (first) and outer (fourth) strands are strung on bead wire to provide a strong structure for the focal bead stations and to give shape to the necklace. Stringing the 2nd and 3rd strands on beading thread lends movement and flow to the necklace, and avoids problems with passing beading wire more than twice through the same bead.

STEP 1: STRING THE FIRST, INNER STRAND.

1. Using wirecutters, cut a piece of beading wire 37 to 40 inches long. String a crimp bead, go through the right-most loop on one end of your clasp, and go back through the crimp bead. Leaving a 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch tail, close the crimp bead with pliers. (Figure 1)

2. String 19 BI beads, pushing the first few beads over the bead wire tail so that it's covered by the beads.

3. Create the first focal bead station: String 1 CL bead, 1 12mm bead, and 4 CL beads. Go back through the 1st CL bead (Figure 2). Pull the wire as tight as you can. String 6 CL beads, go through the 12mm bead and the 2nd CL bead of the 6 just strung (Figure 3). Pull the wire tight so the CL beads fit around the 12mm bead neatly. There will be a "gap" in the CL beads at the bottom of the 12mm bead - this gap will be filled when you string the 3rd strand.

4. String 11 BI beads.

5. Create the second focal bead station, using BI beads instead of CL beads. String 1 BI bead, 1 12mm bead, and 4 BI beads. Go back through the 1st BI bead (Figure 2), which will be the 12th BI bead from the last focal bead station. String 6 BI beads, go through the 12mm bead and the 2nd BI bead of the 6 just strung (Figure 3).

6. String 11 BI beads.

7. Create the third focal bead station using CL beads as in step 3.

8. String 11 BI beads.

9. Create the fourth focal bead station using BI beads as in step 5.

10. String 11 BI beads.

11. Create the fifth focal bead station using CL beads as in step 3.

12. String 19 BI beads. String 1 crimp bead, go through the inner loop of the other end of the clasp, and back through the crimp bead and several of the BI beads (Figure 4). Pull the wire until it forms a loop about the same size as the beginning loop and close the crimp bead. Using wirecutters, cut the tail as close to the bead it exits as possible.

STEP 2: STRING THE SECOND STRAND.

1. Cut a length of beading thread about 50 to 60 inches. Thread the needle, double the thread by pulling the two ends together, and tie the two ends into an overhand knot. Tie a few more overhand knots, making the knot larger and larger until it is too large to slip through the hole in the knot cover. Put a small dab of glue on the knot, thread the knot cover and close it over the knot with chain nose pliers. ( Figure 4a) Trim any excess thread. Attach the knot cover to the middle loop of the clasp. Move the needle a few inches from the middle of the thread and cut the thread in half. Lay the necklace flat in a circle and move the thread without a needle aside (this will be used for strand 3).

2. String 27 LS beads. Go through the top five beads in the first focal bead station, starting with the 4th bead from the bottom on the left side and exiting the 8th bead (Figure 5).

3. String 14 LS beads and 1 CL bead. Go through the top five beads in the second focal bead station.

4. String 1 CL bead and 15 LS beads. Go through the top five beads in the third focal bead station.

5. String 15 LS beads and 1 CL bead. Go through the top five beads in the fourth focal bead station.

6. String 1 CL bead and 14 LS beads. Go through the top five beads in the fifth focal bead station.

7. String 27 LS beads. String a stopper bead and go back through it twice to secure it (after the 3rd strand is complete it will be removed). Remove the needle from the thread.

STEP 3: STRING THE THIRD STRAND.

1. Thread the needle on the other thread coming out of the knot cover, created in Step 2.

2. String 29 SA beads. Go through the bottom 2 beads on the first focal bead station, string 1 CL bead to close the "gap", and go through the next 2 beads on the focal station (Figure 6). Pull the thread tight so the added CL bead fits nicely into the "gap".

3. String 16 SA beads and 1 CL bead. Go through the bottom 2 beads on the second focal bead station, string 1 CL bead to close the "gap", and go through the next 2 beads on the focal station.

4. String 1 CL bead and 17 SA beads. Go through the bottom 2 beads on the third focal bead station, string 1 CL bead to close the "gap", and go through the next 2 beads.

5. String 17 SA beads and 1 CL bead . Go through the bottom 2 beads on the fourth focal bead station, string 1 CL bead to close the "gap", and go through the next 2 beads.

6. String 1 CL bead and 16 SA beads. Go through the bottom 2 beads on the fifth focal bead station, string 1 CL bead to close the "gap", and go through the next 2 beads.

7. String 29 SA beads. Thread a knot cover. Remove the stopper bead from strand 2 and run this thread through the knot cover as well. Remove the needle and tie the two threads into an overhand knot, pulling tightly. Tie a few square knots until the knot is too large to fit through the hole in the knot cover. Dab a little glue on the knot, close the knot cover, and attach it to the middle loop on the other clasp end.

STEP 4: STRING THE FOURTH (OUTER) STRAND.

1. Start this strand the same way you started strand 1, with about 30 inches of beading wire, on the outer loop of the clasp.

2. String 24 BI beads. Take the wire through the bottom 3 beads of the first focal bead station (Figure 7). Pull the wire tightly each time you exit a focal station.

3. String 15 BI beads. Go through the bottom 3 beads of the second focal bead station.

4. String 15 BI beads. Go through the bottom 3 beads of the third focal bead station.

5. String 15 BI beads. Go through the bottom 3 beads of the fourth focal bead station.

6. String 24 BI beads. Finish this strand as you did the first strand, attaching it to the outer loop of the other end of the clasp.

ENJOY!!