AroundTheBeadingTable.com Blog: free crystal necklace pattern: Simplicity Necklace

Simplicity Necklace

Just a simple and dainty crystal necklace, ideal for beginning beaders. I used 3mm fire-polished beads and 4mm Swarovski bicone crystals but you can use any type of 3mm and 4mm beads you prefer. It’s a very versatile design.

MATERIALS

(for an 18-inch necklace, not including the clasp or center top-drilled bead)
• 4 yards of 6 lb. FireLine
• About 250 size 11/0 seed beads
• About 46-48 size 3mm beads (I used fire-polished beads but any type of size 3mm bead should work)
• About 36 size 4mm beads (I used Swarovski 4mm bicone crystal beads but any type of size 4mm bead should work)
• Center bead: Directions included for using a center bead (briolette, pendant, drop bead or crystal shaped bead) where the hole is drilled across the top of the bead, drilled down the middle of the bead or drilled through the bead from front-to-back.
• clasp

This necklace pattern includes directions for using center beads (briolettes, pendants, drop beads or crystal shaped beads) where the hole is drilled across the top of the bead (Version 1), drilled down the middle of the bead (Version 2) or drilled through the bead from front-to-back (Version 3). For each version, you’ll be starting in the middle of the necklace, using half the thread to create the center and right side of the necklace and the other half (the long tail) to create the left side. You can start with less thread if you wish and add more as you need it.

VERSION 1

This version works best when your center bead hole is drilled across the top from side-to-side. For the example below, I used a Swarovski (#6010) briolette.

Step 1: Thread your needle with about 4 yards of FireLine.

String a 4mm bead, a seed bead, a 4mm bead, a seed bead, a 4mm bead and a seed bead.

Bring the beads to the middle of your length of thread and tie them together with a double knot:

Step 2: Go back around through the 4mm bead, the seed bead, the 4mm bead, the seed bead, the 4mm bead and the seed bead that you added in the last step. Grab your tail thread and tie another knot:

Step 3: Go back around through the 4mm bead, the seed bead and the 4mm bead that you added in the first step (highlighted in RED):

Step 4: String a seed bead, a 3mm bead, a seed bead, a 3mm bead and a seed bead.

Go around and back down through the 4mm bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 5: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 6: Go back up through the seed bead and the 3mm bead that you added in Step 4 (highlighted in RED):

Step 7: String a seed bead, a 3mm bead, a seed bead, a 4mm bead, a seed bead, a 4mm bead and a seed bead.

Go around and back up through the 3mm bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 8: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 9: Go back around through the seed bead, the 3mm bead, the seed bead, the 4mm bead and the seed bead that you added in Step 7 (highlighted in RED):

Step 10: String two seed beads. Go across through your center bead.

String two more seed beads and go across through the seed bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

NOTE: Depending on the amount of space between the drill hole and the top of your center bead, you may have to add more seed beads.

Step 11: Go back through the beads that you just added (highlighted in RED):

Step 12: Weave your way back up and around through the beads highlighted in RED and exit from the right-most 3mm bead:

You will now complete the right side of your necklace.

Step 13: String a seed bead, a 4mm bead, a seed bead, a 3mm bead and a seed bead.

Go around and back down through the 3mm bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 14: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 15: Go back up through the seed bead and the 4mm bead that you added in Step 13 (highlighted in RED):

Step 16: String a seed bead, a 4mm bead, a seed bead, a 4mm bead and a seed bead.

Go around and back up through the 4mm bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 17: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 18: Go back through the seed bead and the 4mm bead that you added in Step 16 (highlighted in RED):

Step 19: String a seed bead, a 3mm bead, a seed bead, a 3mm bead and a seed bead.

Go around and back down through the 4mm bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 20: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 21: Go back up through the seed bead, the 3mm bead and the seed bead that you added in Step 19 (highlighted in RED):

Step 22: String a 3mm bead, a seed bead, a 4mm bead, a seed bead and a 3mm bead.

Go around and back up through the seed bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 23: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 24: Go back around through the 3mm bead, the seed bead and the 4mm bead that you added in Step 22 (highlighted in RED):

Step 25: String a seed bead, a 4mm bead, a seed bead, a 4mm bead and a seed bead.

Go around and back across through the 4mm bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 26: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 27: Go back through the seed bead, the 4mm bead and the seed bead that you added in Step 25 (highlighted in RED):

Step 28: String a 4mm bead, a seed bead, a 4mm bead, a seed bead and a 4mm bead.

Go around and back across through the seed bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 29: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 30: Go back around through the 4mm bead, the seed bead and the 4mm bead that you added in Step 28 (highlighted in RED):

Step 31: String a seed bead, a 3mm bead, two seed beads, a 3mm bead and a seed bead.

Go around and back across through the 4mm bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 32: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 33: Go back up through the seed bead, the 3mm bead and the seed bead that you added in Step 31 (highlighted in RED):

Next you will add a beaded chain to the right side of your necklace.

Step 34: String a 4mm bead, a seed bead, a 3mm bead and eight or more (depending on how long you want your necklace) sets of ten seed beads, a 3mm bead, a seed bead, a 4mm bead, a seed bead and a 3mm bead. String one last seed bead. Go through your clasp and back down through the beads that you just strung:

Step 35: Go back around through seed bead, the 3mm bead, the seed bead, the 4mm bead, the seed bead, the 3mm bead and the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 36: Go back around through the beads that make up the right side of your necklace (highlighted in RED):

Knot in several places and cut your thread.

Step 37: Flip the necklace over so that your finished side is now your left side. Thread your needle with the other half of the thread from Step 1.

Weave your way around through the beads highlighted in RED:

Step 38: Repeat Steps 19-36 to bead the other side of the necklace:

VERSION 2

This version works best when your center bead hole is drilled down the middle of your bead. For the example below, I used a 12mm Swarovski Love bead (#5741) and sadly, Swarovski has discontinued this bead so it is getting harder to find. You can, however, use many other beads for this version.

Repeat Steps 1-9 of Version 1.

Step 10: String three seed beads, a center bead and three more seed beads:

Note: If you do not wish to add a picot, or a picot doesn’t quite work with the shape of your center bead, just add a single seed bead instead of three seed beads.

Go around and back up through the center bead that you just added and as you do, push the three seed beads into place so that they form a picot. Continue on up through the seed bead above (highlighted in RED):

Step 11: String two more seed beads. Go back across through the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Continue to Step 12 of VERSION 1 and complete the rest of the instructions.

VERSION 3

This version works best when your center bead hole is drilled from front to back. For the example below, I used a 14mm Swarovski Heart Pendant (#6228).

Step 1: Thread your needle with about 4 yards of FireLine.

String a 4mm bead, a seed bead, a 4mm bead, a seed bead, a 4mm bead and a seed bead.
Bring the beads to the middle of your length of thread and tie them together with a double knot:

Step 3: Go back around through the 4mm bead, the seed bead and the 4mm bead that you added in the first step (highlighted in RED):

Step 5: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 6: Go back up through the seed bead and the 3mm bead that you added in Step 4 (highlighted in RED):

Step 7: String a seed bead, a 3mm bead, a seed bead, a 4mm bead, two seed beads, a 4mm bead and a seed bead.

Go around and back up through the 3mm bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 8: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 9: Go back around through the seed bead, the 3mm bead, the seed bead, the 4mm bead and the seed bead that you added in Step 7 (highlighted in RED):

Step 10: String a fire-polished bead and three seed beads. Go through your center bead from front to back.

String three more seed beads and go back up fire-polished bead that you just strung.

Go up through the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Make sure three seed beads are positioned at the front of the center bead and three in the back and that the center bead does not twist as you pull tight. See the enlargement (below to get an better idea of what your end result should be. The front and the back should look the same.