Opal Chain Necklace
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Make this attractive 16 inch choker with 8 of your favorite 5mm beads
I used synthetic opals available from Rio Grande, but you can use any special beads for this project.- Material Needed for this Necklace:
- Tools Needed:
To wrap each opal use 2.5 inches of wire. At about 1.25 inches down on the wire form a loop. Before closing the loop for the first opal, attach a 5 inch length of silver chain to the loop, then close the loop and wrap the short end of the wire about three times around the pin.
To wrap the wire, hold the loop with one set of chain nose pliers in your less favored hand. Use the other set in your other hand to form the loops.
At this point you can cut any extra wire off, or leave it if you think you might want to wrap more, after working the other end, for an even distribution of loops!
Next, put one opal on the pin, and form the second loop, starting about .25 inches away from the opal, to leave room for wrapping the wire. Before closing the loop, add a soldered jump ring, and then form three loops around the pin, towards the opal. Finish each wrap by cutting the ends of the wire off, and use pliers to flatten the end around the pin.
Keep wrapping all of the opals, remembering to attach the finished ones to the first loop of each pin before closing it. Finish the last opal by attaching 5 more inches of silver chain to the second loop, before closing it.
I made the clasp for this necklace, but that is a lesson for another day! For now you can puzzle it out on your own, or just attach a fishhook clasp to finish this necklace.
