How to Make A Beaded Pendant with Bead Dangles

Jul 2

Written By

This is another simple, but elegant design using spirals. I didn't actually mean to include spirals when I first started, but as I made this pendant, I added them. You can certainly skip the spiral at the top as well as the spiral headpins if you prefer to leave them out.The original idea is from Crafty Jewelry. I added the spirals and I also teach you to make your own hoop.The pendant I made is relatively large. You can make as small of a pendant as you want.The other way you could customize this is to make it beaded all the way around instead of just one side.Materials and Tools:

20 gauge wire
Turquoise White Heart Trade Beads 6mm from Happy Mango Beads
Wire cutters
Round nose pliers
Chain nose pliers

Step #1Cut a piece of wire about 13" long.Step #2 Hold the wire in the middle with round nose pliers at the largest part of the barrel of the pliers. Then make a loop by crossing the ends.Step #3Twist the wire to secure the loop.Step #4Wrap the wire around something round as large as you would like to make your pendant. I used a hand lotion bottle that was about 1 1/2"- 1 3/4" across the lid. (If you're using something larger or smaller, you'll need more or less wire to start with.)You'll have to push the wire especially where the loop you formed because it will be more in a triangle form.Cross the wires and make one twist right across from where your loop is.Step #5 Take the wire off and then untwist it. (We did this so we'd know how far to bead.)Straighten one of the sides out just enough to get the beads on.Step #6Slide the beads on. If you're following my exact instructions, you'll need 17 of the 6mm Turquoise White Heart Trade Beads.Step #7 Put the wire back on the circle thing you used to begin with and reform the circle. Twist the wire twice and make sure it's secure.Step #8Take the wire off.Step #9 Hold one wire with your round nose pliers and wrap around one barrel.Step #10Take the loop off the round nose pliers and hold in chain nose pliers. Straighten the loop.Continue wrapping that one wire in the same direction, but do not wrap the other wire.Make sure your loop is secure. I left a little extra wire at the end that I didn't cut off until later.Step #11Now we're going to make a spiral with the other wire.Make a flush cut on the end of the wire.Hold the end of the wire between your round nose pliers. The wire should be at the end but not poking through the pliers.Twist the pliers away from you, using your wrist. Once you go as far as you can, leave your pliers inside the loop but readjust the pliers and then finish the loop.Step #12The loop will look like a "p".Step #13Hold the loop you made in chain nose pliers.Step #14Bend the wire around the original loop to make a spiral.Step #15Push down the spiral like shown.Step #16Now we're going to make a few spiral headpins to make dangles.Here's a video of how to make geometric headpins (including spiral headpins) if you prefer to learn via video.Cut 3 pieces of wire 3" long each.Step #17Follow steps #11 - #14 to create the spiral. Go around 2 times. Then bend back the wire to make it straight above the spiral.Step #18Slide beads onto the headpins. I made a total of 3: 2 with 2 beads and 1 with 3 beads.Step #19 Now we'll make a bead dangle. For a video on how to make a bead dangle, click here.Hold the wire in your round nose pliers. Bend the wire down and around the barrel of round nose pliers.Do not complete the wrap!Step #20Place the dangle on the loop you made on the bottom of the pendant.Step #21Complete the wrapped loop.Step #22Repeat for the other dangles.Step #23Slide on a chain and wear your unique new pendant!