Elegant, Fun-to-Make Beaded Christmas Jewelry with Poinsettias

Dec 18, 2011
Mary Purpari

Chain and poinsettia - Mary Purpari

The Christmas season brings parties galore. Here are just the right accessories to go with your holiday wear and so easy and economical to make, too.

Christmastime is a time for fun – going through the mall on gift buying sprees, ice skating with friends, decorating the Christmas tree, making snowmen and singing Christmas carols. It’s a time for spending time with family and friends, cups of hot chocolate or eggnog, and stolen kisses under the mistletoe. And, of course, as the old carol says, “Don we now our gay apparel, falala lalala lalala”…

Making bead jewelry is fun and gives a sense of pleasure seeing the beautiful things we’ve made – just ask any child who has strung beads together for a necklace – but it does require patience, as do all things worth making. Just remember, neither Rome nor the world was made in a day, although these will only take a few hours.

Materials Required for the Necklace Chain:

2 yards (185 cm) nylon beading cord 1 lb. test;
N. 369 metallic silver seed beads;
N. 1 – 7mm silver spring ring clasp;
N. 1 – 7mm jump ring.

Materials Required for the Pendant:

20 inches (45 cm) nylon beading cord 1 lb. test;
N. 47 metallic silver beads;
N. 8 – 5mm red faceted round crystal beads;
N. 8 metallic gold beads;
N. 20 dark metallic green seed beads.

Materials for the Earrings:

N. 8 – 4mm red faceted round crystals;
N. 8 metallic gold seed beads;
N. 19 metallic silver seed beads;
N. 20 metallic dark green seed beads;
N. 2 – 4mm jump rings;
N. 2 kidney wire earrings;
17 inches (40 cm) nylon beading cord 1lb test.

Instructions for the Chain:

Slip the cord through the spring ring, bringing the ring to the center of the cord. Slip 2 silver beads on the left side of the ring and one on the right side;
Draw the right cord through the top bead on the left side and pull tight. You now have one link of your chain. Continue in this manner until you have made 123 links;
Draw the left-side cord through the 7mm jump ring and tie a knot with the right cord. Slip the cord through a few of the links to hide the ends. Drop a tiny amount of Krazy Glue onto the knot. Cut the ends of the cord AFTER the glue has dried.

Instructions for the Pendant:

Thread 4 silver beads onto the cord, bringing them to the center. Draw the right end through the fourth bead on the left side and pull tight. You now have 1 link.
Now, slip 2 beads on the left side and 1 on the right; slip the right end through the top bead on the left and pull tight for the second link.
Make 9 more links, for a total of 12 links.
For the thirteenth link, slip 1 bead on each side, and pass both ends through the beads in the first link.
Slip 3 dark green beads, a red crystal and a gold bead onto the left side;
Repeat step 5 on the right, slipping the right end through the gold bead on the left;
Slip one gold bead, one red crystal bead and 2 dark green beads onto the left cord; slip the left end through the first red crystal and through the gold bead on the left cord;
Repeat step 7 on the right side.
Slip 2 gold beads, 1 red crystal, 2 dark green beads and 1 red crystal onto the left cord; pass the cord through the second gold bead**; slip one more gold bead;
Repeat step 9 from * to **on the right side; slip the right cord through the last gold bead on the left cord;
Pass both cords through the nearest red crystal and slip 3 dark green beads on both; pass both ends through 1 silver bead
Make 3 links, ending the third by passing the right cord through the first silver bead and tying a knot together with the left cord. Hide the ends and put a drop of glue on the knot. Cut the ends when the glue has dried.