Leftover Madness Bead Neckpiece With Convertible Viking Knit

I have always loved turquoise so whenever I found a strand, it would always find a way into my shopping cart. The beads left over from all my projects started to add up over the years. This project is perfect for all those mismatched beads in your stash. Make a ton of bead dangles, throw them in a bag, pull them out without looking and string them. Every piece will be unique.

Materials: 10 of bead stringing wire Two crimp tubes Two 5mm crimp covers 16 of 18 gauge round wire 48 of 26 gauge round wire 20 of 28 gauge round wire Two 8mm OD 18 gauge closed jump rings 20 of Viking Knit and two end caps to fit Variety of 4-10mm beads and LOTS of headpins

Tools: Flat, round and chain nose pliers 6-Step barrel pliers Flush cutter mandrel Ruler Ultra fine point Sharpie marker

Directions: It is important to read through the directions before starting. If you need a refresher on bead stringing, crimp beads and crimp covers, see the tutorial THE BASICS-Bead Stringing. See THE BASICS-Wire Wrapped Loops to brush up on making wire wrapped loops with headpins. Step 1: Make wire wrapped loops using headpins and beads ranging in mm to 8mm. Step 2: Cut a 10 piece of bead stringing wire. Attach an 8mm OD jump ring to one end of the wire. Cover the crimp tube with a crimp cover. Slide an 8mm bead on the stringing wire (pearl shown).

Step 3: Slide the wire wrapped loop beads onto the stringing wire, alternating them in a pleasing manner and making sure they nestle together with no gaps. The finished length should be between 2 and 6. Finish the end with an 8mm bead, crimp tube and cover and an 8mm OD jump ring.

Step 4: Straighten and cut two 11 pieces of 26 gauge round wire. Leaving a 1 tail, use one wire to wrap the jump ring at one end of the beaded section. Wrap the short 26 gauge wire tail once around the bead stringing wire above the crimp cover. Trim the short wire tail and tuck into place with the tips of chain nose pliers. Do not trim the longer wrap wire. Repeat with the other 26 gauge wire on the other end.

Step 5: Wrap the longer 26 gauge wire four times around the bead stringing wire above the crimp cover. Trim the wire tail off and tuck the end into place with the tips of chain nose pliers.

Step 6: Straighten and cut two 3-4 pieces of 18 gauge wire. Make a hook on one end of the wire and attach it to the end of the Viking knit. You may want to bend the hook over to lock it into place. Slide an end cap onto the wire. Repeat with the other end. Step 7: Make a wire wrapped loop using Step 4 of your 6-step barrel pliers. The loop should be the same size as the closed jump ring used on either end of the bead section. Repeat with the other end of the Viking knit.

Step 8: Straighten and cut two 11 pieces of 26 gauge round wire. Wrap each loop, starting at the base of the loop and working around to the base on the other side. Trim the wire tails off and tuck them in as flat as possible using the tips of chain nose pliers.

The following directions are for one hook. Repeat for the other hook, but wrap, bend and bead the wire in the opposite direction.

Step 9: Straighten and cut a 4 pieces of 18 gauge round wire. Mark the wire 1 from one end.

Step 10: Centering the mark between the two smallest steps on the 6-step barrel pliers, bend the two wire ends down on either side of Step 2 of the 6-step barrel pliers.

Step 11: Cross the wire ends, using your fingers to push the crossed portion of the wires up to the barrel of the pliers. This creates an eye that can be used as an attachment point to any project.

Step 12: Spread the eye loop open just enough to slip it onto the wrapped jump ring on the bead section.

Step 13: Using the tips of your chain nose pliers, grasp the small loop just above where the wires cross. Twist the two wire ends turn.

Step 14: Place the eye loop on a mandrel. Bend the wire ends around the mandrel. Make sure that the wire that comes from below the eye goes above the other wire on the opposite side of the mandrel. Step 15: Use the tip of your round nose pliers to make a small loop on the end of the shorter wire. This loop should end up exactly opposite the larger loop created in Steps 10 and 11. A line drawn from the center of one loop to the center of the other loop should create two equal halves. Both the left and right hook are shown below.

Step 16: Grasp the long wire tail between Step 3 and 4 of the 6-Step barrel pliers. Make sure that Step 4 is on top and large wire loop is pushed up to Step 3 of the pliers. Use your fingers to push the long wire tail up and over Step 4 of the pliers until the wire tip almost touches the large circle. Step 17: Use the tips of your round nose pliers to make a small loop at the end of the hook. Twist the hook to the back and perpendicular to the large circle, in line with the small loop below it, as shown. Lift the hook end slightly away from the circle and to make it easier to attach the beads.

Step 18: Select a variety of beads 3mm-5mm in size to fill the large circle. Note: Through Step 21, you will be working from the back so periodically check the beads on the front of the hook. Step 19: Leaving a 1 tail, wrap 3 times around the frame between the lower loop and the large circle. Trim the short wire tail off. Tuck the end in with the tips of your chain nose pliers. Wrap around the area two more times, covering the cut wire tail.

Step 20: Going toward the hook, wrap the frame 6-8 times. Find beads to fit the space and slide them onto the wrap wire. In this case, the bead sizes were 3mm and 5mm. Wrap the other side 812 times going toward the hook. Step 21: Find beads to fit the space and slide them onto the wrap wire. In this case, the bead sizes were 3mm and 5mm. Pull the wrap wire around the base of the small loop and the base of the hook, securing both together. Wrap the area three times. Then continue wrapping down the opposite side of the frame 6-8 times.

Step 22: Find a bead to fit the space and slide it onto the wrap wire. In this case, the bead size was 5mm. Continue to wrap down the frame toward the first bead added. Trim the wrap wire off close to the frame. Tuck the end in with the tips of your chain nose pliers. Note: You have been working from the back. This photo to the left shows the hook from the front.

Step 23: Use the hook to attach the bead section to the Viking knit. You may need to twist the wire wrapped loops and wrapped jump rings so they are perpendicular to the horizontal hook.