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Copper and turquoise necklace



I love the colors turquoise and copper together.  Since blue and orange are complementary colors on the color wheel, both hues seem to pop out when they are used together

Whenever I make a heavy necklace, I tend to make it longer to help balance the weight.  If you follow the instructions here exactly, you will end up with a very long necklace that adjusts from 27 to 30 inches.  I like to twist the necklace up to wear it, which shortens it somewhat, but it is still a very long piece.  If this will be too long for your frame, shorten it up accordingly.

Materials & Tools

40” beading wire, brick red, .019” diameter
5’ copper chain, 21 gauge
Copper end bars with chain and clasp, 3 hole
Beads:
56 copper open hex beads, 8mm
77 copper bicones
78 turquoise rounds, 4mm
43 carved MOP leaves, mix of turquoise, light and dark amber colors
Turquoise donut, 40mm
6 hammered copper disks with hole, 10mm
Copper bail tube with loop
15-20 seed beads, size 8/0
75 copper jump rings
43 head pins
3 crimps

Tools:
Chain nose pliers
Round nose pliers
Wire cutters
File
Measuring tape
Alligator clips


1. Crimp a 30" piece of beading wire to the middle hole of your end bar.  Alternate copper bicones with open hex beads.  Slide a 4mm turquoise round into the middle of each hex bead as you string.  Place the copper bail at the mid-point of your strand.  When it is long enough to suit you, crimp the loose end to the other end bar.




2. Use jump rings to attach copper chain on each side of the central strand, running from end bar to the opposite end bar.  Divide each half of the necklace into four equal parts, and anchor the chain in place to the nearest hex bead with jump rings.




3. Prepare all of your leaves by creating wrapped loops on the head pins.  Add some decorative turquoise or copper beads to each dangle.




4. Divide up the leaves and space them out along each chain.  Reserve a few leaves to hang in front, near the bail.  Attach each leaf dangle with a jump ring.




5. Prepare your central turquoise donut pendant.  Fold a 10" piece of beading wire in half loosely, and create a larks-head knot through the donut.  String both wires through a copper bicone.  Separate the wires, and string 7 to 10 seed beads on each.  String one wire through the loop on the copper bail.  Bring both ends of the wire through a crimp bead from opposite directions.  Snug up the wire, flatten the crimp, and trim the wire ends.  Attach 6 hammered copper discs together with jump rings, and embellish the donut pendant with them.




6. Attach 3 hammered copper discs together with jump rings, and embellish the end of the clasp and chain unit.  To wear this necklace, hold by one end and spin it until the chains are wrapped around the central strand to your satisfaction.  The tighter you twist it, the shorter the necklace will be and the more the leaves will stick out from the piece.

This post contains affiliate links: Beadaholique

Copyright 2015 Cyndi Lavin. All rights reserved. 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.


Comments

Cyndi, I love this autumn inspired turquoise and copper necklace! What a stupendous design!
jean xox
Cyndi L said…
Thank you, Jean! This season always seems to get me in the mood...