Project of the month: Lariat for Mom

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Materials:

• 45" silver or gold plated chain

• 36 - 38 x pearl or Czech beads (5mm - 6mm) for the double ring

• 3 x 3-hole Bali style silver daisy links

• 6 - 8 x 3mm silver or gold round beads for the double ring

• 1 x large gemstone bead for the pendant (16mm - 18mm)

• 23 - 25 x various sizes of gemstone and pearl beads for dangles

• 2 - 4 x silver beads or spacer beads

• 2 x crimp beads (2x2)

• 2 x crimp bead cover

• 15" x medium weight (0.014/0.015mm) beading wire

• 2 ft x 24g silver or gold craft wire

Tools: Round nose pliers, chain nose or crimping pliers, and wire cutter

Estimated cost: $50 (silver sample); $55.00 (gold sample)

Estimated time: 2 hours

Step 1.

Make the inner circle of the double ring:

Cut 6" of beading wire, string beads, with the 3-hole daisy links in between - break the circle into 3 sections, string pearls or Czech beads, with silver or gold round beads in between. End the circle with a crimp bead. String the other end of the beading wire through the same crimp bead. Pull both ends of the beading wire tight to form the circle. Crimp with the pliers.

Step 2.

Cover the crimp bead with a crimp cover:

Use the chain nose pliers, carefully put the open crimp cover over the crimp bead. Gently squeeze with chain nose pliers to close the crimp cover. This will form the crimp cover into round shape.

Step 3.

Make the outer circle of the double ring:

Use the remaining 9" of beading wire to make the outer circle. Start by stringing the beading wire through the first 3-hole daisy link. String enough beads to fill one section, then, go through the second daisy link, continue to make the outer circle. End the circle with a crimp bead and use the same technique in Step 1 and 2 to finish the circle with crimp bead and a crimp cover.

Step 4.

Make the pendant:

Cut a piece of 2" craft wire and make a small simple loop at one end (making a simple loop). String a large gemstone and other beads (optional) for your pendant. Make another simple loop on top of the beads. Hook the top loop into one end of the chain to hang the pendant (see the next photo illustration.)

Dangle chain technique (How to hook a pendant or a bead dangle onto the chain):

Make a bead dangle by cutting a piece of craft wire (3/4" - 1.25" pending on the size of the beads - you need 1/4" - 3/8" left on top of the beads to make a simple loop). Make a simple loop at one end string the beads for the dangle, then make another simple loop on top of the beads.

Open the simple loop on top of the bead dangle using the same technique as opening a jump ring (opening a jump ring). Place the open simple loop through a link on the chain, close the simple loop.

Step 5.

String the chain through the double ring to form a double-chain section for the lariat. At the end of the lariat (the pendant end), leave a section of about 5" long with only single chain.

Step 6.

Make a bead dangle and hook it through both chains at the 5" place (where double chain becomes single chain). This will define the pendant part of the lariat.

Step 7.

Make another bead dangle and hook it through both chains at about 1" above the double ring. This will stabilize the double ring.

Step 8:

Make 18 - 20 bead dangles. Hook about 15 bead dangles on the 5" single chain section at the pendant end. Balance the dangles on both sides of the chain.

Step 9:

Hook the rest of the bead dangles on to the 1" double chain section just above the double ring.

The finished lariat is balanced by the weight on both ends:

The pendant end with lots of bead dangles. The double ring end with couple of bead dangles.

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