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Making an eyeglass holder necklace



My eyes are not quite what they used to be!  Although I don't need glasses full-time yet, there are times when I need a little help.  That is how this project came to be: my drugstore glasses needed a place to hang around where they'd be handy.  I don't like the typical eyeglass holders where the glasses hang from both ear-pieces and get in my way, banging around.  Instead, I was always hooking the glasses down the neckline of my shirt.  How much nicer it would be to have a loop hanging just a bit lower where they could hang without unbuttoning my blouses for me! 

This project is for a beginner stringer.  If you already have experience, you could easily substitute any other beads that you choose to make the design as complex as you like.  Just follow the basics proportions given.

Following these directions exactly will give you a 24 inch continuous loop that you'll just slip on over your head.  It has a looped toggle or charm hanging from it so you can stash your glasses when you don't need them.  This is a necklace you'll want to be wearing whenever you work on other beading pieces!


Materials & Tools
36 inches beading wire, .019 inches in diameter
42 8x4mm fire polished Czech crystal rondelles
25 8mm fire polished Czech crystal rounds
#8 seed beads in a coordinating or contrasting color
4 10mm Bali silver or other metal beads
7 sterling silver 2mm tube crimps
Sterling silver toggle or charm with large loop for eyeglasses and small loop for wire to pass through (see examples below)

2 alligator clips
Wire cutters
Chain nose pliers or crimping pliers
Measuring tape


1.  Cut your beading wire to 36 inches and place an alligator clip securely about 5 inches from one end.
 
2.  String on 5 sterling silver 2mm tube crimps, but do not crimp them.



3.  String 8-1/2 inches of Czech crystal rondelles, alternating with seed beads and accented by 2 of the 10mm silver beads, in a pattern that pleases you.  In my example, I have strung 2 inches of rondelles, then a silver bead flanked by 2 round crystals, repeating the pattern, and ending with another 2 inches of rondelles.

4.  For the next 2 inches, string only round Czech crystals alternating with seed beads.  Add a 2mm tube crimp bead.  String 3 more inches of round Czech crystals and seed beads and add the last crimp bead.
 
5.  Place an alligator clip securely at the end of your work, and begin stringing from the other side.



6.  Slide the small loop of the toggle over the 5 central tube crimps.  Allow it to hang loose.  Begin stringing and match the pattern that you created on the first side in step 3.  In addition, string 2 more inches of round Czech crystals alternating with seed beads at the end.

7.  Take the loose end you were just working with and pass it through the beads and crimps on the other side until you have passed the second crimp and one round Czech crystal.



8.  Pass the other wire end through one round Czech crystal.



9.  Pull the wires snug, and flatten or crimp the crimp tubes.  Clip the wires close to the work and ease the ends into the next bead.


Copyright 2011 Cyndi Lavin. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distributed electronically provided that entire file, including this notice, remains intact.

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Comments

This is a great idea, I make them the other way and you are right I could never get use to the things hanging from the sides of my glasses. With this one you don't have that happening. Thanks for sharing the idea.
Therese
Welcome to the club, Cyndi ;-)

I started making and selling eyeglass necklaces when I realized how handy they would be myself.

Word to the wise: be sure to tell customers these should only be used with glasses that clamp shut tightly. Or they wearer might bend over and lose an expensive pair of reading glasses without even realizing it :-(
Cherie Burbach said…
I've wanted to make one of these forever. Good to see the tute on this.
Jewelry Trays said…
This is an awesome idea, the look is really fun.