I created a tutorial for using ribbons and chain in a piece of jewelry. A suggestion that was left by Mel Mel in the comments from the Bird bead giveaway a couple of weeks ago. This is a really simple necklace. I’ve photographed each step. Let me know if you have any issues or questions.
What you need: 1 polymer clay pendant, the one I used is from Heather Wynn. You can use anything coin shaped that is top-drilled.
18 inches of copper chain
18 inches of pale purple silk cord
18 inches of multi colored silk ribbon
2- 4″ pieces of copper wire (22g) – I used darkened wire, you don’t have to.
2 copper jump rings (7mm)
1 copper toggle clasp
4 copper head pins
4 beads in coordinating colors ( I used crystal and glass)
4 copper seed beads
Let’s get started:
1. You are going to start out by attaching 1 end of the 2 silk ribbons to one of the copper jump rings.
2. You’ll need the 2 sections of copper wire. String the ends of the ribbons through one of the jump rings. Slide the jump ring up the ribbon about 1- 1-1/2 inches.
3. Fold the ribbon over like this, and hold it with one hand.
4. Take a piece of copper wire. Hold the end of it in the same hand, grasping it tightly.
5. Start wrapping the wire around and around the ribbon right below the jump ring, like so. Make sure to overlap the end of the wire that you are holding. You’ll wrap it about 3 or 4 times.
6. Now you’ll have this. 2 tails of wire to deal with.
7. Snip the wire that is coming out of the center of the wrap, with wire cutters, keeping very close to wrap.
8. And wrap the other tail around and try to tuck the end in a little, with your chain nose pliers.
9. String the pendant onto the pale purple silk cording. A trick I use, is to use a small piece of wire to push the cording all the way through the drilled hole so it helps guide it all the way.
10. String the pendant down to the middle of the cording.
11. Repeat steps and wire wrap the other end of ribbons onto the second jump ring.
12. Now what you have, will look like this.
13. To add the chain, open the jump rings and slip the end link onto the ring, and close the jump ring tightly.
14. Repeat on the other end.
15. I added some embellishments. You don’t have to, but if you like how that looks, you’ll need 4 head pins, 4 copper seed beads, and 4 coordinating beads.
16. String 1 copper seed bead, and 1 faceted bead onto a head pin. Start the wire wrap …
17. But first, attach it to the chain- I attached this first bead to the center of the chain and then added other beads to either side of it.
Wrap the loop. Repeat with the other 3 beads.
18. You’ll attach each of the beads about 1 link away from each other, like this.
19. Now you’ll have something that looks like this.
20. To add the toggle clasp, open the jump ring and attach one end of the clasp. Open the opposite jump ring and attach to the toggle end of the clasp. Close each jump ring tightly.
21. Here is the clasp attached.
And VOILA! You have yourself a 3 stranded necklace that incorporates chain, ribbon, copper, wire, and polymer clay! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! It was fun to make. I really came up with the design on the fly. I’d love to do more tutorials. Any suggestions, feel free to leave comments on this post!