DIY Gold Crystal Drop Necklace

It's been a while but I finally have a pretty new jewelry tutorial to share with you all!

This stunning necklace requires just a couple different materials and basic wire wrapping skills. But don't worry! I have lots of pictures to show you how to tackle it!

But first, to give credit where credit is due, this necklace is COMPLETELY inspired by my blog pal Sarah over at Everyday Bijoux! She posted this necklace picture and I just LOVED it so I hoarded it away and made a mental note to recreate it one day. I used a slightly differnt assortment of beads because I used what I had on hand, but the basic concept is all Sarah's.  Be sure to check out her blog for more great jewelry ideas!

If you want to make your own version, here's the tutorial!

Materials
Chain, 6mm jump rings, lopster claw clasp, 24 gauge wire and an assortment of clear drop beads.  I used these beads from Prima bead and some other beads I had on hand.  These would be another good option!

Instructions

First step is to cut a length of chain the length you would like your finished necklace to be.  Cut a second piece of chain short enough to fit within the bib of the necklace

Use jump rings to attach the second strand to the neckalce base like so.  Side note: You may find it easier to attach the beaded charms onto the chain WITHOUT the two strands connected.  I figured that out after this picture :) Regardless this is how the base of the necklace will end of being constructed.

Cut about 4-5 inches of 24 gauge wire using wire cutters



String on a crystal drop bead

Position the bead to the left of the wire and cross the wire over like so:

Grasp the wire with needle nose pliers and pull the longest tail up straight and wrap the smaller tail around it a few times.

Trim off the excess small tail using wire cutters

Feed the long tail through a chain link at the base of the necklace



Wrap the wire back around the link forming it into a loop

Finish off the dangle by wrapping the wire around the tip of the drop bead.

Trim off any excess wire with wire cutters



Repeat this process for two other sized crystal drop beads and then repeat the first type of bead.  I spaced my beads out every other link due to the size of my chain. 

After wrapping those four beads I figured it would be much easier to have less chain in the way while I was wrapping and separated the two chain pieces. Here's the completed short link:

Repeat this process for the center of the necklace base.

Reattach the short strand a couple links up from where your beads stop on the long strand using a jump ring



The completed bib section of the necklace should lay like so:

Lastly, attach a lopster claw clasp to one end of the chain end using a jump ring and a single jump ring on the other end using needle nose pliers.

Here is your completed necklace!

I love the contrast of the clear/gray tinted crystals with the bright gold chain and wire.  It's a nice neutral necklace that still pops!

It's a great accessory to jazz up a neutral shirt as well.

Not too hard, right? Comment and let me know if you think you'll give it a try!