Good Luck
Jade Necklace
Designed by Kristin Burgess
Bring a little Irish luck your way this St. Patty's Day with this fresh Spring design. Swarovski's Palace Green Opal is a fabulous new color that compliments our China Jade wonderfully. Considered the "stone of heaven" by the Chinese it is believed that Jade contains properties to promote good health, LUCK and protection. Perhaps those fabled leprechaun's are onto something! Create this 2 strand necklace design and finish it off with our vintage golden metal findings for a festive Irish look. With Spring around the corner a little green will surley lift your spirits!
This project is great foreven the very beginner beader! Stringing and crimping are involved with this project. The necklace has a total of two strands. Four crimp beads and covers are needed. One strand of each of the beads in the materials list are needed and each will have leftovers.
The final length of the bracelet is 20&1/2" long. There are enough materials to make a paire of earrings to match if you desire! The pattern contains 4 sections of crystal (to represent the 4 cloves in a lucky clover) and the patterns are primarily in groups of seven!
As always happy beading I hope you enjoy!
Step 1: Prepare a clutter-free workspace to lay out the stones, crystals and heishi spacers. Precut 2 feet of thin or .014 softflex wire. Using the standard crimper tool attach the pre-cut softflex to one side of the vintage clasp. This strand will be the short and inside strand on the necklace. With softflex attached thread on this series of beads...3 crystals, 1 8mm, 1 cry, 1 6mm, 1 spacer, 1 6mm, 1 cry, 1 8mm, 1 cry, 1 6mm, 1 spacer, 1 6mm and repaeat pattern until desired length. End with the three crystals in a row just as you started. Crimp this strand off to the other side of the vintage clasp. Be sure that the clasp matches up and you crimp to the inside of the 2nd part of the clasp on the matching loop.
Step 2: Using the crimper tool and 1 of the 2x2 crimps attach a second precut 24" of fine softflex to the
vacant loop on the vinatge clasp bar (one of the loops on the end) using the crimping method. Using the end part of the crimper tool then attach the crimp cover over the crimp for a more finished look. Start by stringing this pattern onto the Soft Flex...1 6mm stone, 1 crystal, 1 6mm, 1 crystal until there are 7 of the 6mm stones then switch the pattern and pick up 14 iof the crystals in a row, then alternate the two beads for a total of 7 stones. Now we are at the center section... 1 6mm stone, 1 cry, 1 6mm stone, 1 cry, 1 6mm stone, 1 spacer, 1 8mm stone, 1 spacer, 1 cry, 1 spacer, 1 8mm stone repeat this pattern until 14 of the 8mm stones have been strung. The necklace is a mirror image form side to side. At this point in the pattern you will string the rest of the necklace using your strung work as your pattern guide. Crimp this strand to the loop left vacant on the vintage clasp. Cut away leftover wire and hide crimp using the 14 kt gold fill crimp covers and the end part (lemon shaped) of the standard crimper tool.
Step 3: 
The second strand is the lengthier of the two. It lays just below the first strand enough to stand apart. Less beads on this second strand would close the negative space between the two for a different/thicker look. After all tails are cut and all crimps are covered it is time to put on a few finishing touches. The clasp can be made adjustable with just a few extra materials. By adding
an inch of gold fill cable chain with open or split jump rings your piece can be worn at a few different lengths. The hook included in the clasp is slender but be sure the chain you choose has generous enough loops so that this hook can grab the chain with ease. Aminimum of 4mm for the size of each link on your choosen chain is adequate.
Turn your leftovers into earrings!
Try stacking this pattern on a headpin for an instant matching pair....1 8mm, 1 spacer, 3 crystals. The 24 gauge headpins are perfect for this and a simple french earwire in the gold fill works great! Happy St. Patty's Day fellow beaders!
