Luxe Bronze Beaded Howlite Choker

Luxe Bronze Beaded Howlite Choker

Hi there. Today I will be sharing a bronze-toned choker, featuring the howlite gemstone beads from Just Bead It, which give the design a luxurious feel.

Just Bead It products used:

• JBNS61 - white, round howlite beads
• JBI788 - glass bronze-toned seed beads
• JBI86 - silver alloy bicone spacers

Additional products used:

• silver beading wire
• silver 3-strand bar ends
• crimp beads
• silver crimp covers
• silver 3-strand connector beads
• crimping pliers
• wire cutters
• bent-nose pliers

Firstly, cut two equal lengths of beading wire. Place one howlite bead on the centre of the top strand, and one silver bicone spacer on the centre of the bottom strand, right underneath it.

For the next roughly 2.5cm on both sides, evenly fill the top and bottom strands with bronze seed beads, then place a silver 3-strand connector bead on both sides. These connectors will keep the strands from spreading too much as you continue beading, and will help to add to the aesthetics of the finished necklace.

Continuing on the bottom strand, place about four bronze seed beads beside both of the connector beads on either side, then place one howlite bead on both ends. For the top wire, place about 3cm worth of seed beads on both sides, then place a silver bicone spacer on the ends. As you continue with the necklace, this basic zig-zag-like pattern between the howlite beads and silver bicones will provide continuity to the design and will help draw the eye.

Essentially repeat the previous step, except in reverse this time; place about 2.5cm worth of bronze seed beads after the howlite bead on the bottom strand, and place a silver alloy bead. On the top strand, place about 2.5cm of bronze beads and then place a howlite bead (do this on both sides of course). This step can be shown in the picture below.

Next, for the top strand, place four bronze beads and then thread the wire through a silver connector. On the bottom strand, place about 3cm of bronze beads and then thread that wire through the bottom-most hole in the connector as well.

For the last part of the choker, thread about 2.5cm of bronze beads after the connector bead on both strands, and on both sides of the necklace. This is going to be at the back of the neck when the necklace worn.

Lastly, to secure the necklace, place a crimp bead on each of the wires and use crimping pliers to fasten the strands to the holes in the 3-strand bar end. Place silver crimp covers over the top to hide the raw crimps. Then, simply add a silver lobster clasp to one end of the choker, and an extender chain to the other.

The necklace is finished! The beautiful howlite beads from the new Just Bead It range make lovely accent beads; perfect for adding a little bit of interest and an expensive feel to the finished piece.

If you would like to get more information on some basic jewellery-making techniques such as how to use crimp beads and covers, and attaching lobster clasps etc, you can refer to my more thorough jewellery tutorial on the Just Bead It blog.

I hope you enjoyed this post - if you would like to view more of my designs, I also have an Etsy store called DominiquesWares which features more beaded jewellery. This particular choker will soon be uploaded to my store, so stay tuned for that :)

If interested, you can follow me on Twitter @DominiquesWares

or Instagram: dominiques_wares

You can also follow my Dominique'sWares blog

Thanks so much for reading - happy beading!