Introduction
Working with materials found around the house or at the hardware store to make jewelry for yourself or friends is a lot of fun. You can substitute the materials used for really anything, it is the technique that can be used again and again for a variety of necklaces.
I have a deep background in music – I started playing the piano at age five and have a bachelor’s degree in music composition. I spent a semester in Ghana studying the role of women musicians in traditional groups throughout the country. It is only fairly recently that I was given a chance to combine all these factors into this necklace.
The vintage music paper beads are from Tanith’s Odds and Ends at http://www.etsy.com/shop/tanithsoddsandends which were provided for use in this tutorial.
Some fantastic tips about working with steel wire can be found in a past Beading Daily blog post by Jean Campbell, http://www.beadingdaily.com/blogs/daily/archive/2009/05/20/7-tips-for-using-steel-wire-in-your-jewelry-designs.aspx but here are some quick points:
- Don’t use your nice jewelry tools i.e. round-nose pliers, flush cutters etc. – keep a separate set for working with base metal wire. I had an old set from when I first started working with wire but also purchased a basic wire cutter from the hardware store just for steel wire.
- Expect to get dirty. Wash your hands well after handling wire and don’t eat or drink or keep open containers in your work area.
- Consider sealing your finished piece with clear acrylic sealer or spray to guard against rust and to keep any stray coating off your clothes.
Goal
This tutorial will guide you through making a lariat length (anywhere from 30 to 50-inches typically) necklace with vintage music paper beads and steel wire.
I used some recycled glass beads from Ghana, krobo beads, for a touch of color at the bottom.
Click here to view the entire tutorial!
