Opulent Olive Necklace

What you need:

Cousin 3pc Jewellery Tool Value Pack – COU 4460
Cousin Toggle Starter Pack – Lt Satin Gold – COU 3600102
Cousin 68pc Starter Pack Lt Satin Gold – COU 3600101
Cousin 40′ 0.3mm 7 Strand Bead Wire – Gold – COU 3202001
Cousin 24pc 8mm Metallic Round Scroll Bead Gold – COU 2568669
Cousin 7pc Round Filigree Bead Antique Gold – COU 3600311
Cousin 18pc 8×16 Diamond Twist Olive – COU 4759801
Cousin 66pc Mixed Faceted Glass Bead Black – COU 4758705

Where to buy:

For information about where you can buy the items needed click here

How to make it:

1. Cut a 10cm length of 0.3mm gold beading wire. Thread one end through a gold crimp bead and back again to make a small loop, and secure by squeezing the crimp shut.

2. Thread beads onto the wire as follows: 1 small black faceted bead, 1 olive twist bead, 1 large black faceted bead, 1 olive bead, 1 small black bead. Finish with a gold crimp bead, and pass the end of the wire back through the crimp to make another small loop, pull through any spare wire and close the crimp. Repeat to make a second beaded wire.

3. Cut a 25 link section of gold chain from the chain in the starter set. Open a jump ring, hook it through the loop of one of the beaded wires from step 1 and one end of the chain, then close. Attach the second beaded wire to the other end of the chain in the same way.

4. Thread a large black faceted bead and an olive twist bead onto a gold head pin, finishing with a loop at the end of the pin. Thread a round filigree bead and a small faceted bead onto another eye pin, and finish the end with a flat spiral.

5. To make a flat spiral at the end of a pin – Grip the end of the pin with round-nosed pliers and make as tight a loop as you can. Hold the loop with flat-nosed pliers and turn the loop to coil the rest of the pin wire around it, moving the pliers frequently to keep them clear of the outer part of the spiral. When finished, bend the outer edge of the spiral backwards to centre the spiral at the end of the pin.

6. Attach to the bottom of the first eye pin with a jump ring. Attach this completed dangler to the middle link of the chain using a jump ring.

7. Take two eye pins and thread a small faceted bead and an olive bead onto each, finishing with loops. Take two head pins and thread a gold scroll bead with a small smooth black bead on each side onto each. Finish each with a loop, hooking it onto one of the beaded eye pins before closing the loop completely. Attach these danglers to the chain with jump rings, counting 3 links either side of the central one.

8. Take two more eye pins, thread a small faceted bead and an olive bead onto each, finish with loops and attach to the chain 3 links to either side as before.

9. Cut two equal lengths of chain to complete the necklace to fit and attach to the ends of the beaded wires from step 1 using jump rings.

10. Note on necklace fitting – If you’re not sure how long to cut the two sections of chain try this alternative way of finishing your necklace:
After attaching each end of a long piece of chain to one of the beaded wires from step 1. Put the over-long necklace on and pull up the spare chain at the back until you’re happy with the fit. Keep your hold on where the clasp needs to go when you take it off, then fit the two parts of the toggle clasp using jump rings. You can try on the necklace with the toggle clasp in place to check the fit before cutting off the spare chain.

Designer – Amanda Curtin