peter pan collar necklace *tutorial*

Alright, so you saw the teaser yesterday, now it's time for the real thing. You wanna get one of these on your neck? Two options: hop over to my store here and pick one up or make it yourself!

Here's what you need:

• length of chain that fits close around your neck
• beads of your choice, preferably something with some weight so the necklace hangs right
• clasp
• tiger tail beading wire
• pliers
• wire cutters
• crimp beads

Star out by cutting and laying out your length of chain and adding a clasp to the end. 

Next, lay out your beads. I used ceramic beads in 10 and 12mm sizes and I used the bronze 3mm spacers in between each bead. You want your strung beads to be about 1.5x as long as your chain.

Next grab yourself some tiger tail a cut a piece about twice as long as your chain.

See the rest of the tutorial after the jump!

Start one of your ends by stringing on two crimp beads.

Then thread the end through a link in your chain about 2 inches down and then loop the end back through the two crimp beads.

Push the crimp beads up the wire towards the chain.

Then smash those little crimp beads down like your life depends on it.

And it will look something like this.

Now start stringing those beads in whatever order your heart desires. 

(I apologize for my gross ripped up finger... jewelry related casualties.)

Keep stringing!

Once you've finished stringing half your beads, find the two links in the very middle of your chain and hold on to them.

Slide your tiger tail through them both and begin stringing your pattern in the opposite order on the other side.  Keep stringing until you've finished your pattern.

At this point your necklace should look like the picture above. Measure the same 2 inches down your chain on the other side and string two more crimp beads on your tiger tail. Then thread your tiger tail through that link 2 inches down and loop the end of the wire back around through the two crimps.

It should look like the picture above.

Pull your loop tight and smash the crimps again. 

Then clip off the tiger tail end and tuck it back into the last bead.

Add a clasp if you haven't already and voila! Your brand new collar necklace!

Enjoy!

P.S. I'd love to start a gallery of people who make collar necklaces and so if you send me your picture (favoringbrave@gmail.com) and your story, you just might get featured!

peace&love,

Jill