Copper necklace with patina - part two

Last week, I shared my process for creating these ammonia and salt patina copper beads.  This week, I want to show you the piece that I made with them!  Here is another necklace that used these beads, and you can find the information on it in this post. 

Materials and Tools

Copper tube beads from Part one
Faceted fire agates, large and small
Bullseye agates
Small turquoise disks
Small plastic beads that fit inside copper tubes
20 gauge copper wire
Copper jump rings
A few links of copper chain
Clasp (optional - I made mine from wire)

1. Design two or more types of links that will alternate in your necklace.  I made copper wire-wrapped links from the fire agates and bulleye agates, and copper tube links with turquoise disks.

2. Turn a wrapped loop on one end of your copper wire.  You will have to have to figure out the length of wire needed for this style link with a little bit of trial and error.  I ended up needing 7 1/2 inches of wire on the second end in order to form the second wrapped loop, wrap it back around all the beads in the link, and anchor it on the original end.  Make as many of these links as you desire.  I made five.

3. For the shorter tube bead links, it should be a bit easier to figure out how much wire is needed.  Turn a wrapped loop and slide on a turquoise disk, the copper tube bead, small plastic beads to fill the tube, and a second turquoise disk.  The plastic beads will keep the tube bead centered on the wire and prevent it from coming out of alignment with the disks. 

4. Turn the second wrapped loop on the other end. Make as many of these links as you desire.  I made six. 

5. Connect all the links with jump rings.

6. Use jump rings to attach a few links of copper chain and a hook or clasp to the ends of the necklace.  Instead of using a commercial clasp, I used about 5 inches of wire to fashion a simple hook.  

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.