Blue Skies Necklace

"Gray skies are gonna clear up" with this necklace from Katie Hacker. By using an assortment of glass beads, your Blue Skies Necklace is a terrific addition to any outfit.

Materials:

• 2 yards of white bead weaving and stringing thread
• Stringing wire
• Blue Delicas
• Silver rochailles
• 8mm AB faceted clear glass beads
• 6mm AB round blue glass beads
• 6mm blue and clear glass beads in assorted shapes
• 2 - 3-hole end bar
• 1 - Lobster clasp
• 1 - Silver jump ring
• Size 10 beading needle
• 1/2" wooden dowel
• Crimping pliers
• Nipper tool
• BeadFix™
• Adhesive tape
• Twist tie
• Thread Heaven™
• Designer Scissors

Steps:

To make a tubular peyote accent bead:

1. Cut a 2-yard length of thread. Place a piece of adhesive tape 6" from the end of the thread. Hold the thread on the thread conditioner with your thumb and pull it through to evenly cover the thread. String the needle onto the other end of thread and leave a 6" tail.
    
2. String 36 beads onto the thread. Tie the ends in square knot to pull the beads into a circle.
    
3. Stitch through the first two beads, then add a bead and stitch through the fourth bead. The added bead should sit on top of the third bead as shown.
    
4. Continue the skip a bead, add one pattern until you reach the last bead. Stitch through the last bead, then add the first bead for the next round.
    
5. When your ring is the desired size, remove it from the dowel and stitch the thread ends through the pattern to reach the outside edge. Stitching through the pattern strengthens the shape of the ring in addition to getting the threads to the edge. Add seed beads in a contrasting color to the edges of the ring, then knot the thread ends. Add a drop of glue.

To string the necklace:

1. Decide approximately how long you would like your finished necklace to be. Cut four pieces of bead stringing wire to the desired length. String a crimp bead 1/2" from the end of one piece of bead stringing wire. Fold the wire end through an outside loop on the 3-hole end bar and place the wire end back into the crimp bead. Use crimping pliers to crimp it. String 6mm beads to cover the wire except for the last 1/2". Cover the wire end with adhesive tape to prevent the beads from sliding off. Attach a bead stringing wire to the other outside loop on the 3-hole end bar. String 8mm beads onto the wire.
    
2. Hold two wires together and string a crimp tube. Attach it to the center loop on the 3-hole end bar. String assorted 6mm beads onto one of the wires and cover the end with adhesive tape. String Delicas and silver rochailles as shown onto the other wire and cover the end with adhesive tape.
    
3. Braid the beaded sections together loosely until you reach the center of the necklace. Wrap a twist tie around the necklace to hold the braid together. String the peyote bead onto the necklace, then continue braiding.
    
4. Remove the twist tie and wrap it around the end of the braid. Use crimp beads to attach the bead stringing wire ends to the 3-hole end bar as in Steps 1&2. Connect the clasp to a jump ring and attach it to one end of the necklace.