Make an Adjustable Beach Style Necklace with Ammonite Beads and Rattail Satin Cord
This week on Free Spirit Beading with Kristen Fagan, I share a tutorial for a handmade beaded beach necklace that's adjustable! I was cleaning out my beading room and came across some Rattail satin cord gifted to me that I hadn't used yet. I decided to combine the satin cord with Serenity Shore beads, Ammonite beads, a real seashell and Soft Flex Fluorite beading wire for a mixed materials design that is perfect for that beachy summer vibe! Make a versatile design that will go from short to long depending on your outfit!
Supplies:
Soft Flex .019/Medium Beading Wire - Fluorite
Czech Glass Ammonite Spiral Beads - Turquoise
Serenity Shore Bead Mix and Strand (sold out)
Seashell (found at the beach!)
Rattail Satin Cord - Gold
2x2mm Crimp Tubes - Gold Filled
3mm Crimp Covers - Gold Filled
Once I decided that I was going to use the satin cord, I knew I had to finish it with an adjustable slide knot. I have always wanted to learn how to make an adjustable cord knot that and this was my chance to learn and then share what I learned with you! You can use this adjustable sliding knot tutorial on leather, waxed cotton, and nylon in addition to silk and satin cord. Rattail satin cord is high quality and has a shiny, silky feel. While we may not sell satin cord on our website, we do occasionally include this item in our Facebook Live Bead Sales that we host on the Soft Flex Company Facebook page. You can check out our video schedule online to see when we plan to host our next live sale!
I had a little hiccup when designing and left too much beading wire slack between crimps. After talking it through on the video an idea came to use crimp covers to fill in the space! It worked like a charm. I was a little hesitant about using crimp covers on my video as I find them a little tricky to use and sometimes they pop off my tool and run away! With some encouragement from friends watching I went for it. I used the "rounder" in the regular crimping pliers to add them to the bead strand. You can see the crimp covers added above and below the large white shell mosaic bead.
About Soft Flex Beading Wire:
Soft Flex Beading Wire is the designer's choice in bead stringing wire. It is a lead-free beading wire for designers that demand strength and durability. Constructed of either 21 or 49 micro woven stainless steel wires. It is supple enough that it can be knotted and comes in a wide variety of colors. It is available in 3 diameters: .014, .019, and .024. We recommend Soft Flex Wire for designers that want their pieces to last and eliminate the frustration of restringing.
Diameter Usage:
.014 Fine - Ideal for soft materials, seed beads and fresh water pearls. Finish with 2x2mm crimps.
.019 Medium - Ideal all purpose wire. Great with glass, mineral, and metal beads. Finish with 2x2mm crimps.
.024 Heavy - Ideal for abrasive materials, large stones, lamp work and bracelets. Finish with 2x3mm crimps.
If you like this idea, you may like these other beach style tutorials:
String Bracelets - Make a Bracelet with Beads
Live Beading Party! How to Make Beach Jewelry Using Beading Kits for Beginners
Use Soft Flex® Craft Wire To Add TierraCast Charms To A Bracelet Form
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Kristen Fagan is a Website Graphic Designer and Jewelry Making Educator for Soft Flex® Company. She is the co-author of Seed Bead Revolution, an artist and creativity guide. She lives in Arizona with her husband, their two sons and two dogs. When she's not painting, drawing or beading, she enjoys reading, yoga, exploring the outdoors and traveling. Her favorite stones are Turquoise, and Quartz and she can't bead without Bead Stoppers. Contact her at Kristen@softflexcompany.com or visit her Website | Facebook | Instagram