Nealay Patel used kyanite marquise briolettes for his pendant (bottom). For testing, we used blue sponge coral marquise briolettes (top).

STRINGING / PEYOTE STITCH

Use the many spaces in filigree beads to make this dimensional necklace

designed by Nealay Patel

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©2010 Kalmbach Publishing Co. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher.

All beads have a hole, of course. The lacy filigree spacer beads I used in this project have 34 holes each, and they were begging to be put to work. So I came up with these clever puffs and cages by stringing beading wire through the filigree holes. Once you try this project, you may have found a new favorite technique.

stepbystep

Peyote tube beads[1] On 1 yd. (.9 m) of Fireline or thread, attach a stop bead (Basics, p. 86), leaving a 6-in. (15 cm) tail. Pick up three color A 110 cylinder beads, three color B 110 cylinder beads, five As, three Bs, and three As. [2] Working in odd-count peyote stitch (Basics), follow the figure to complete the panel. Zip up (How-Tos) the edges to form a tube. Remove the stop bead, and end the threads (How-Tos).[3] Repeat steps 1 and 2 to make a total of four tube beads.

Pendant[1] Cut 1 ft. (30 cm) of .018 beading wire, and, leaving a short tail, string the 3 mm crimp bead, the 10 mm wood bead, and the largest gemstone briolette. With the long end of the wire, go through the crimp bead and the 10 mm again, leaving a loop of exposed wire (photo a). Attach a Bead Stopper or alligator clip between the crimp bead and the 10 mm to temporarily prevent the crimp bead from sliding into the wood bead.[2] String four medium-sized briolettes, and go through the crimp bead and the 10 mm again, making the loop of wire the same size as the first one (photo b). Repeat with the three smallest briolettes (photo c).[3] Remove the Bead Stopper or clip, adjust the wire loops as needed, crimp the crimp bead (How-Tos), and trim the excess wire. Allow the 10 mm to slide over the crimp to hide it.

Necklace base[1] On 2 ft. (61 cm) of .014 beading wire, center the 10 mm of the pendant.[2] On one side, string a 4 mm spacer, a 4 mm bead cap, a 6 mm filigree bead, 12–14 3 x 4 mm gemstone rondelles, a filigree bead, a 2 mm crimp bead, and

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c

materialsnecklace 18 in. (46 cm)• 8 top-drilled marquise-shaped gemstone briolettes, various sizes (approximately 8 x 23–12 x 40 mm)• wood beads 10 mm 6 8 mm 10 6 mm• 12 6 mm filigree beads (item #CPB-R60F at abeadstore.com)• 36–40 3 x 4 mm gemstone rondelles• 5 g 110 Japanese cylinder beads in each of 3 colors: A, B, C• 2 4 mm round spacers• clasp• 4 4 mm bead caps• 3 mm crimp bead• 6 2 mm crimp beads• 2 crimp covers (optional)• Fireline 6 lb. test or nylon beading thread, size D• flexible beading wire, .018, .014, and .010• beading needles, #12• bead reamer (optional)• 2 Bead Stoppers or alligator clips• chainnose pliers (optional)• crimping pliers• wire cutters

Positive spaces

b

FIGURE

a peyote tube (photo d). Later on, you will need to fit nine pieces of beading wire through the end hole of the second filigree bead strung, so enlarge the end hole of the bead with a bead reamer before stringing it if needed.[3] String three repetitions of a filigree bead, a color C 110 cylinder bead, a rondelle, an 8 mm wood bead, a rondelle, and a C (photo e).[4] String a filigree bead, a 2 mm crimp bead, a peyote tube, a 4 mm spacer, a bead cap, five 6 mm wood beads, and a 2 mm crimp bead (photo f). Secure the end with a Bead Stopper or clip.[5] Repeat steps 2–4 on the other side.

Puffs and cages[1] Cut a 2-ft. (61 cm) piece of .010 beading wire, and string it through the center round of filigree holes in the first

filigree bead on one side (photo g). Make sure it goes straight through. Repeat three times so that you have eight wire ends coming out of the center round of holes in the filigree bead (photo h). [2] To make a puff, on one wire, string 40 Cs, and go through the next filigree bead and the crimp bead, passing it through a filigree hole near the bottom of the bead and exiting the top hole (photo i). Repeat with the remaining seven wires, passing them through the corresponding filigree holes so as to keep the wires in order.[3] Tighten the wires, and crimp the crimp bead. Trim the four shortest wires, then string the remaining four wires through the peyote tube.[4] String one wire through the end hole of the next filigree bead, exiting a filigree hole in the center round of holes. Repeat with the remaining three wires, spacing them evenly around the bead. There should be one hole between each of the wires.[5] To make the first cage, on one wire, string 16 Bs, and go through a center-round hole in the next filigree bead, making sure it goes straight through. Repeat with the remaining three wires (photo j). Each hole that has a wire going into it should also have an end coming out of it.[6] Repeat step 5 twice, but for the last cage, the wires should exit the end hole of the filigree bead instead of a center-round hole.

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EDITOR’S NOTE:It can be tricky to pass flexible beading wire through the correct holes of the filigree beads because it sometimes bends inside the bead. If you have trouble, try using a Soft Flex Speeder Beader needle, which is a hollow needle into which you can slip the end of the beading wire. The needle holds the wire stiff, allowing it to pass through the filigree holes easily. – Julia

STRING IT INSTEADYou can make this necklace without any stitching if desired. To do so, replace the peyote tubes with a crimp bead, a section of strung beads, and a crimp bead. After adding the puffs and cages, crimp the crimp beads, and cover them with crimp covers.

For an even easier version, omit the puffs and cages altogether, and string chunky gemstone or wood beads on each side of the pendant.

To make a daintier pendant, like the one shown at left, use small petal-shaped glass beads instead of the large marquise briolettes.

Nealay Patel is a college student studying graphic design. He has been beading for about seven years and enjoys the challenge of rendering his architectural design ideas in beads. This necklace began as a series of sketches and came to fruition when Nealay paired his beloved beading wire with filigree beads.

[7] String the four wires through the next crimp bead, snug up the beads, crimp the crimp bead, and trim the four wire ends.[8] Repeat steps 1–7 on the other side of the necklace.

Finishing[1] Test the necklace for fit, and add or remove beads if desired. [2] On one end, string half of the clasp, go back through the crimp bead, and crimp it. If desired, use chainnose pliers to close a crimp cover over the crimp. Repeat on the other end. w