Have you ever used a bead tip to complete your necklace or bracelet? I’m going to discuss what they are and how to use them and, in the process make a beautiful blue and black teardrop necklace.

Last week, I did a live workshop using some beautiful beads and I loved the colour and bead combination so much that I’m going to be using those same beads to make another necklace today. This one’s a little more fancy.

Materials

Here’s what I used to make this necklace:

Tools

The tools that I used are:

You could use a 1 step looper if you have one.

Instructions

Lay Out the Beads

Using a bead design board lay out the beads in the correct order following the diagram, repeating the pattern from the centre in reverse.

Make the Centre Focal Piece

Cut the chain in to five pieces. Four of the pieces will have 9 links and 1 piece will have 11 links. Once you’ve cut the first one, the easiest way to get them the same length is to hang the end link of the cut piece from a head pin. Add the end link of the uncut chain and dangle it so that you can see where to cut the chain. Cut the link that is one longer than you require.

Open one of the 8mm jump rings and thread on one of the teardrops and the end link of the 11 link chain. Close the jump ring.

Open one of the 6mm jump rings and thread on the other end link of the chain and the lowest loop of the connector. Close the jump ring.

Make a loop in the end of a piece of the 22 gauge wire. If you haven’t made loops before, you can watch this video about how to make the perfect loop.

Thread on the beads as follows:

Silver Ball
Blue Black Faceted Rondelle
Hematite Jet Turbine
Silver Ball

Make another loop at the top of the beads.

Turn the loops so that they are going in opposite directions.

Open an 8mm jump ring and thread on a teardrop and the lower loop closest to the rondelle, then close the loop.

Open the top loop of the component and thread it onto the second loop of the connector. Repeat for the other side.

Using one of the 9 link chains, repeat the first step of where you attached the centre dangle, this time attaching to the upper loop of the connector. Repeat for the other side.

Repeat these steps again to make two more dangles.

Open a 6mm jump ring and thread on the top loop of the connector. Make sure that the three jump rings that will be strung onto the tiger tail are really well closed so that the tiger tail doesn’t slip out.

Place your connector in the centre of the necklace on the bead board and the dangles between the turbine bead and the faceted rondelle as per the diagram below.

String the Necklace

Cut a piece of tiger tail approximately 50cm (20”) long. Put a bead stopper on one end. String on all the beads and dangles as they are laid out on the board.

What is a Bead Tip?

A bead tip also known as a carlotte clamp or clamshell, is used to hide the crimp bead and attach the clasp. They are very easy to use – much easier than a crimp cover – and make a really effective covering.

As you can see from the photo below, they have a hole in the bottom where you thread your stringing material through. You attach your crimp close to the hole and then squeeze it closed. The loop on the end is used to attach the clasp or jump ring.

Add the Bead Tip and Clasp

Thread the tiger tail through the hole in the bottom of the bead tip. Thread on a crimp bead. Squeeze the crimp bead shut. Check that the crimp bead is holding firm then snip off the excess tiger tail. Push the bead tip up so that the crimp bead is sitting inside it.