Titanic relic
Simple beadweaving and stringing techniques
recall the elegance of another era
by Nealay Patel
had a dream where my mother and I were at a formal dinner. String 1MC, a 60, 2MC, 1AC,
and 2MC. Go through the last 60
She was smiling at me, and I remember she was wearing a
strung in step 1 (photo b). Then
Ibeautiful necklace. Days later I could not forget the necklace, go through the first MC strung in
this step (photo c). Repeat three
so I sketched a picture of it. Once the piece was constructed, it
more times for a total of five
reminded me of something from the movie Titanic. loops (photo d).
Sew through the first AC and
medallions 60strung in step 1. String 2MC,
stepbystep
Start with 24 in. (.6m) of an AC, and 2MC. Go through the
Make this simple but lovely neck- conditioned Nymo and leave a last 60and MC strung in step 2
lace with three medallions joined 5-in. (.13m) tail. String a main (photo e) to create the top of the
by seed bead strands. The beaded color (MC) 110seed bead, a 60 sixth loop. Tie the tail and
portion of the necklace measures seed, 2MC, an accent color (AC) working thread in a surgeon s
12 in. (.3m). The clasp and chain 110, 2MC, and a 60. Sew through knot (see  Basics ). Weave it
add another 31D 2 in. (89mm) to the the first bead strung in the oppo- through several beads, tie a
finished length. site direction as before (photo a). half-hitch knot (see  Basics ), dot
2 beadandbutton.com
a c
b
figure 1
a
figure 2
a
b
b
figure 3
c
a
figure 4
a
b
outer strands
To string the necklace, use hex-cut 110
seed beads.
d
String an AC to the middle of 1 yd.
(.9m) of conditioned thread. Go
through it again in the same direction to
make a stop bead (which will be
removed later). Starting at figure 1,
point a sew through the top right 60of a
it with glue, and then trim the tail close medallion. Pull the thread through the
to the beads. 60until the stop bead rests against it.
Go back through the first MC and String five hex-cut seeds and an AC,
e
60 strung in step 1 (photo f). Moving twice. Then string five hex.
clockwise, continue through 2MC and Sew through a 60on the edge of
the AC at the top of the loop. another medallion. Then go through two
String 2MC, a 60, and 2MC. Go hex, an AC, and two hex (figure 1, b-c).
through the AC at the top of the next Go through the next 60. String ten
loop (photo g). Repeat five times. Sew hex and an AC (figure 2, a-b). Repeat
through the first AC exited in step 4 to this sequence seven times. To make a
complete the medallion. Weave the tail longer necklace, string more sets of
through several beads and tie a half beads. Be sure to add the same number
f
hitch. Glue the knot, but do not cut off of beads to all strands on both sides of
the thread. the necklace.
Repeat steps 1-5 to make two more Go through the top hole on one of
of the medallions. the three-hole spacer bars. String six
3 beadandbutton.com
figure 5
b
a
c
figure 6
a
c
b
figure 7
c
a
b
d
e
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hex, a bead tip with the hook facing out,
materials
and a hex (photo h). Wrap the thread
with tape to hold it temporarily. " 5g seed beads, size 110, hex cut
To string the bottom strand, start at main color (MC)
figure 3, a and repeat steps 1-4, but go " 1g seed beads, size 110, (MC)
through the bottom hole of the spacer. " 1g seed beads, size 110, accent color (AC)
To make the other side, remove the " 1g seed beads, size 60, (AC)
stop bead from the top strand. Attach a " Nymo D, conditioned with Thread Heaven,
g
needle and weave to the top left 60(fig- color to match beads
ure 4, a-b). Repeat steps 1-5. " 2 3-hole spacer bars
" 2 bead tips
central strand " 2 soldered jump rings
Using the thread tail remaining on " 3-in. (76mm) small link chain
the right medallion, weave over to fig- " 6mm heart or crystal
ure 5, a. Go through the 60. String three " S-hook or lobster claw clasp
hex, an AC, five hex, an AC, and three " 3mm crystal
hex (a-b). Sew through the correspond- " head pin
h
ing 60on the center medallion. " tape
Go through all the beads just strung. Tools: chainnose pliers, wire cutters
Start at point c and sew through the 60
and two hex. Weave the tail through dangle. Sew through the 60back to
several beads, knot, glue, and trim. point a.
Start with 24 in. of conditioned Remove the stop bead and tie the
thread and leave a 6-in. tail. String five thread ends with a surgeon s knot. Glue
hex and an AC. Repeat seven more times. the knot. Weave each of the tails
End with three hex. Sew through the 60 through several beads, then trim.
i
on the right medallion (figure 6, a-b). Go
back through the beads just strung (b-c). closure
Sew through the middle hole on the Use a seed bead inside each bead tip to
spacer. String five hex, and go through secure the strands ends.
the bead tip. Wrap with tape. Carefully remove the tape from the
Repeat steps 1-4 to complete the strands at one end of the necklace.
other end of the necklace. Arrange them so the five-bead strand
sits inside the two six-bead strands
swags (photo i). Slide an 110bead over two of
j
Work the bottom two swags with a con- the threads (photo j). Use both sets of
tinuous thread. threads to tie two surgeon s knots. Dot
String a stop bead 6-in. from the with glue. Trim the tails when dry.
end of 24 in. of conditioned thread. Sew Use chainnose pliers to close the
through the 60(figure 7, a) and pull the bead tip (photo k).
thread through until the stop bead rests Slide a soldered jump ring and an
against the 60. String a hex, an AC, five S-hook or lobster claw clasp into the
hex, an AC, four hex, an AC, four hex, hook of the bead tip. Use chainnose pli-
an AC, six hex, an AC, and three hex. ers to close the hook.
k
String an AC, then reverse the sequence Repeat on the other end of the neck-
just strung. Go through the correspond- lace, sliding on a 3-in. (76mm) piece of
ing 60on the opposite medallion (a-b). chain instead of the clasp.
Sew through two hex (b-c) and tie a To make the dangle at the end of the
half-hitch knot. Go back through the chain, slide a hex, a 3mm crystal or
hex beads and exit the 60. bead, and a hex on a head pin. Begin a
String 10AC and a hex. Repeat wrapped loop, (see  Basics ). Slide the
twice. Then string 6AC. To make the end loop of chain into the wrapped loop
dangle, string a hex, 7AC, a hex, a 6mm and close the loop. Photo l shows the
heart, and 1AC (d-e). Skip the AC and completed clasp. w
sew back through the beads to point d.
String the second side of the swag by Contact Nealay in care of Bead&Button.
reversing the sequence strung before the
l
5 beadandbutton.com
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