Hammered Copper and Amethyst Necklace
Designed by Kristin Burgess
Our Mother-of-pearl selection is just amazing and I loved how the teal color seems to just pop against the textured copper. The deep bold colors add just enough sophistication to this otherwise playful and funky piece. Copper isn't just a junky metal....well not any more! The durability of this copper chain we just got in from Nepal is impressive. It is also amazingly light-weight despite it's heavier look. These factors made it a perfect match to use in this multi-strand necklace. Mixing the copper chain with the cranberry fresh-water pearl, deep purple amethyst and our teal mother-of-pearl coins added just enough punch of color to make the piece pop.
This project is great for all levels. Stringing/crimping and a small amount of wirework are neccessary to complete the necklace.
Step 1: The toggle clasp used in this piece works great with the chain. Toggle clasps are one of the easier types of clasps to function which is great in a project where you have mutliple strands as well as weight involved. Normally softflex-beaded strands are attached directly to the clasp using crimp beads and the crimper tool. In this project we will first add a link to each side of our clasp using the soft 22 gauge German copper wire and will later be crimping our softflex strand to this link. Adding this handmade link to each side of the clasp is neccessary as it allows the thickness of the hammered copper chain to be included and hang freely as one 'strand' in the necklace. Using your wire snips cut 18" of the hammered copper chain. Links that are cut are not secure and should not be included in the finished piece.
Step 2: Precut and harden/straighten 10" of the 22 gauge soft copper wire. Form a coiled link that will incorporate the clasp on one side and the chain on the other side. We offer a Wireworks I class here at the store on linking if you have yet to work with the gauged wire. We also carry a book,
All Wired Up by Mark Lareau, that is great for learning to work with wire. Placement of your roundnose tool on the wire will determine the size of the link that you are creating. For one side of the link, grab about half way down your round nose tool.
This loop will be large enough to feed on the toggle and coiling 3-4 times makes it a secure link. Feed on one amethsyt bead. When you form the loop for the other side of the link you will want to use the thickest part of your roundnose. The thickest part of the roundnose will make a link that is just thick enough to fit over the end of the wide copper chain. Coil this loop shut as well after feeding it onto the thick copper chain. This makes a beautiful necklace in itself! It will be our first strand in this three-strand piece. Later we will crimp our softflex strands to these two links we have just handmade.
Step 3: The copper softflex works great and is neccessary when you have a few strands that would normally expose the gunmetal-colored softflex at the crimp. The pattern for strand #2 is as follows... 1 amethyst, 1 copper ball, 1 seed bead, 1 teal MOP, 1 seed bead, 1 copper ball, 1 cranberry pearl, 1 copper ball, 1 seed bead, then repeat from the amethyst and so on. Repeat pattern until you have 18 and 1/2" of length. Using the crimper tool and copper crimps attach this finished strand to the two handmade links that surround the end of the copper chain. Attaching your strand here makes the toggle area less conjested.
Step 4: The third and final strand to string onto the softflex is as follows: Start by stringing 5 size 11/0 seed beads, 1 copper ball, 1 teal MOP, 1 copper ball and then repeat with the 5 size 11/0 seed beads and so on. When you have strung 15 and 1/2" of length you are ready to crimp/attach this strand next to the previously added softlex strand (which is attached to your homemade link).
NOTE: This strand could easily turn into a four or five strand piece. With your leftovers consider making a bracelet to match or earrings. Check out the tutorial on
Hammered Copper and Shell Earrings.
