A blooming delicacy

Make a spring necklace with a real orchid

pendant

by Jenny Ross

Orchids represent love, beauty, and strength.

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©2012 Kalmbach Publishing Co. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher.

1necklace • Cut a 1–2-in. (2.5–5 cm) piece of chain.

Cut two more pieces, each ¼ in. (6 mm) longer than the previous piece. On a head pin, string a 5 mm pearl and make the first half of a wrapped loop (How–Tos). Make three bead units. Attach each bead unit to a chain and complete the wraps (How–Tos).

1bracelet • Cut a piece of beading wire (Basics, p. 76).

String three 10 mm beads and a pearl, repeating until the strand is within 1 in. (2.5 cm) of the finished length.

4 On one end, string a spacer, a crimp bead, a spacer, and

a lobster claw clasp. Repeat on the other end, substituting a soldered jump ring for the clasp. Check the fit and add or remove beads if necessary. Go back through the last few beads strung and tighten the wire.

2 Cut a 3-in. (7.6 cm) piece of 22-gauge wire. Make the first

half of a wrapped loop and attach each of the dangles. Complete the wraps. Make the first half of a wrapped loop, attach the loop of an orchid pendant, and complete the wraps.

2 On one end, string a spacer, a crimp bead, a spacer, and

a lobster claw clasp. Repeat on the other end, substituting a 1½-in. (3.8 cm) piece of chain for the clasp. Check the fit and add or remove beads if necessary. Go back through the last few beads strung and tighten the wire. Follow necklace step 5.

5On each end, make a folded crimp (How–Tos) and trim the

excess wire. Use chainnose or crimping pliers to close a crimp cover over each crimp.

3 Cut a piece of beading wire (How–Tos). Center the pendant.

On each end, string a pearl and three 10 mm beads. Repeat the pattern until the strand is within 1 in. (2.5 cm) of the finished length.

3 On a head pin, string a pearl and a 10 mm. Make the first half

of a wrapped loop (Basics). Attach the chain and complete the wraps.

A blooming delicacy

In this easy-to-string necklace, I used an orchid as my focal point, and added round purple beads to match. The flowers are preserved in resin by a group of women in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The pendants come with either one or two loops, so adjust the lengths of the chain dangles accordingly.

Beginnerproject

1earrings • For each earring: Cut a 3-in. (7.6 cm) piece of wire.

Make the first half of a wrapped loop (How–Tos). String a 10 mm bead and make a wrapped loop.

2 Attach the unwrapped loop and the loop of an orchid

pendant, and complete the wraps. Open the loop of an earring wire (How–Tos) and attach the dangle. Close the loop. ✳

Jenny Ross“Find inspiration in everyday things and follow your imagination,” advises Jenny, who started selling her jewelry at local street fairs and now works as a wholesale importer of precious metals. It seems beading is hereditary in the Ross family; Jenny’s five-year-old daughter has already begun. Contact Jenny via her website, silverinstyleusa.com.

Suppliesnecklace 18 in. (46 cm)

◆◆ 44–56 mm orchid pendant◆◆ 16-in. (41 cm) strand 10 mm round beads

◆◆ 15–19 5 mm pearls ◆◆ 4 4 mm spacers◆◆ flexible beading wire, .014 or .015◆◆ 7 in. (18 cm) chain, 2 mm links◆◆ 3 in. (7.6 cm) 22-gauge wire◆◆ 3 1½-in. (3.8 cm) head pins◆◆ 2 crimp beads◆◆ 2 crimp covers◆◆ lobster claw clasp and soldered jump ring

◆◆ chainnose and roundnose pliers◆◆ diagonal wire cutters◆◆ crimping pliers

bracelet ◆◆ 16–19 10 mm round beads◆◆ 5–6 5 mm pearls ◆◆ 4 4 mm spacers◆◆ flexible beading wire, .014 or .015◆◆ 1½-in. (3.8 cm) head pin◆◆ 2 crimp beads◆◆ 2 crimp covers◆◆ lobster claw clasp◆◆ 1½-in. (3.8 cm) chain, 6–8 mm links

◆◆ chainnose and roundnose pliers◆◆ diagonal wire cutters◆◆ crimping pliers

earrings◆◆ 2 30 mm orchid pendant◆◆ 2 10 mm round beads◆◆ 6 in. (15 cm) 22-gauge wire◆◆ pair of earring wires◆◆ chainnose and roundnose pliers◆◆ diagonal wire cutters

Orchid pendants, dyed jade beads, and clasps from Silver in Style, silverinstyleusa.com. Check your local bead store for supplies.

Suspend a butterfly pendant from a strand of flower jade nuggets. Beads from Dakota Stones, 866.871.1990, dakotastones.com.