Danielle Luczak, of Oshkosh, Wis., posted her beautiful Ocean Dream double-strand necklace in our online Subscriber Gallery — the silver starfish pendant floats on strands of glass pearls in seafoam colors.

Version 1

For all your careful planning, it happens — you finish your necklace, and put it on, and… it’s too long. What can you do to fix it, given that it’s crimped and clasped already? Here’s one neat trick.

You’ll need:

2 split rings

Soldered jump ring

2 lobster claw clasps

1) Attach a split ring to each of two lobster claw clasps; then attach the split rings to a soldered jump ring to make one double-sided clasp element.

2) Decide how much shorter you want your necklace to be. Divide that measurement in half and attach one end of the clasp element to each side of the necklace at that point.

Version 2

This method works with designs that are constructed of a sequence of double wrapped-loop elements. This technique leaves a dangling end — you can leave the dangle hanging down the back of your neck, or, if you’ve created a simple string of beads, wear it in front as an adapted Y-necklace. This method also works well with bracelets.

You’ll need:

1 bead from the necklace

Head pin

Chainnose and roundnose pliers

Diagonal wire cutters

1) Remove the jump rings from one end of the chain.

2) Open the loops at the desired end point of the necklace. Link the two segments with one of the jump rings. Close the loops.

3) On a head pin, string a bead and make the first half of a wrapped loop. Attach the dangle to the end of the necklace and complete the wraps.

In our March issue, we showcase Fernando DaSilva’s luscious seed-bead necklace to show the potential of this year’s two-toned color of the year — Rose Quartz and Serenity.
This piece had made the cover of our March 2014 issue, and we showed off three ways to wear it in our Bead Blog! For instructions on how to make the necklace, check out our online store!
Looking for more projects by Fernando DaSilva? Try:

Over our 12 years of publication, Bead Style has packed our issues with tons of great projects, tips, and design ideas, and you can take advantage of that huge library of information. If you want to browse through the back issues, check out the back issues section on the Bead Style website. You can see what was in each issue going back to the very beginning of Bead Style magazine!
If you know exactly which issue you’re looking for, you can head straight to the online store.

People tackle the classes at the Bead&Button Show — the world’s largest consumer bead show — using different strategies. Some save up and splurge on one intensive master class. But what if you’re on a tight budget? Or if you want to fill your schedule with classes every day? There are plenty of classes on offer that will ring up at well under the $200 price range. Check out what’s on offer!

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