Wire Crocheted Necklace

by Judy Larson

Category: Contemporary
Technique(s): Crocheting
Skill Level: Beginner

Even though this wire crochet necklace uses beads as the main focal element, the wire is a large part of the design as well. The unstructured style makes each piece truly unique. See Step 20 for a more gem intensive look. Shop your bead stash and get started. These light and airy necklaces are perfect for summer, but changing up the type of beads and how many are used can make it into a piece worn year-round.

Materials

26 Gauge Round Silver Plated Silver Copper Craft Wire - 90 ft

H17-I26-90FT

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $6.60
Gold Club Price: $4.95

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28 Gauge Round Silver Plated Silver Copper Craft Wire - 120 ft

H17-I28-120FT

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
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Price: $6.80
Gold Club Price: $5.10

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Silver Filled Oval Lobster Clasp 13mm - Pack of 1

S3-15

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Price: $2.82
Gold Club Price: $2.12

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Tools

g, h, i, or j crochet hooks

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each

Flat Nose Wire Pliers

G2-506

G2-506
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $32.95
Gold Club Price: $24.71

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Chain Nose Wire Pliers

G2-508

G2-508
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
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Price: $32.95
Gold Club Price: $24.71

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Round Nose Wire Pliers

G2-507

G2-507
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
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Price: $32.95
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C.H.P Milano Italian Flush Cutter, 5 1/2 Inches

PLR-487.00

PLR-487.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
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Price: $16.97
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3.6 Volt Automatic Wire Twister (Cordless Screwdriver)

G5-15

G5-15
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $42.97
Gold Club Price: $32.23

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Wire Twisting Pliers 6 Inch - Pack of 1

G2-109

G2-109
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Price: $29.50
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Instructions

Step 1

Clasp: Any type of clasp will work. The piece featured here uses a swivel lobster claw clasp.

Crochet Hook: Since the wire will probably scratch the finish of the crochet hook, you may not want to use your good ones. Buy an inexpensive aluminum or steel one and use it just for wire crochet projects. Coated and uncoated wires will not slide as easily against the surface of plastic hooks. Sizes G, H, I, or even J, are a good choices for the style of necklace shown here.  The hook used in this tutorial is a size G.

Wire: Fine gauge wires, between 26 and 32 gauge, work the best for most wire crochet projects. 24 gauge wire will work and is more visible between the beads. It is, however, a little more difficult to work with. 24 gauge Silver Plated copper craft wire is used in this tutorial because it shows well in photos, is very easy to crochet with, and slides more easily over the fingers than non-coated wires.

Beads: Any size beads will work. To achieve the look shown here, beads between 4mm and 8mm in size are best.

Tools: Flush cutter; Flat, round, and chain nose pliers; Wire twister (or use a drill)

Note: This tutorial does not teach how to crochet, but how to use the technique to make a necklace with wire and beads. Be aware that it may be difficult to stop at making just one necklace.

Set aside two smaller beads with larger holes to use on the necklace ends. The holes should be large enough to accommodate three twisted wires-see Steps 11 and 12.

Judy Larson's Wire Crocheted Necklace - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Crocheting, wire crocheted necklace

Step 2

Lay out three rows of 11 beads each. After making this necklace, it will be easier to judge where to start adding beads to obtain a more bead intensive necklace-see Step 6.

Step 3

It is difficult to know how much wire will be needed because we everyone holds wire with a different tension when wire wrapping/weaving as well as crocheting. Different sizes of the beads can also affect the length of wire needed. Therefore, always work from the wire spool. Thread 11 beads from one row on the wire strand.

Step 4

Measure 8" from the wire end and bend the wire around the shank of the crochet hook. Twist the two wires together to make a loose loop.

Step 5

Crocheting with wire is the same as with yarn or any other medium. It is just MUCH stiffer. The loops should be loose. Crochet a chain that is 6" long for a small neck, 7" long for an average neck, and 8" long for a larger neck. If unsure of the size to make, make the average size. The necklace can be made shorter or longer following the directions in Step 19.

Since everyone will have a different tension for crocheting, in a class setting you may make loops that are tighter or looser than the person sitting next to you. The length of the chain is all you need to worry about, NOT how many crochet loops you made or how even the loops are. They do not need to be perfect and can be different sizes and shapes

Step 6

Slide one bead up on the wire until it is tight against the last stitch. Crochet a stitch around it. The bead is NOT pulled through the loop. Make another stitch without a bead. Then slide the next bead up and capture it in a stitch. Continue in this manner until all the beads are used.

Step 7

Crochet a wire chain the same length as done in Step 5, then chain one more stitch. Cut the wire 8" longer than the last stitch. Pull the wire tail through the last stitch.

The chain will be unwieldy, but do not worry. They will be manipulated in Step 9 and look much better.

Step 8

Repeat this process two more times. You will have three strands of crocheted beaded wire.

Step 9

Slightly flatten and straighten the strands, pushing each bead to what will be the front side of the strand.

Step 10

Lay the bead strands out and match the centers of the strands.

Do not worry that the ends of the beads do not match. The important part is centering the lengths of beads. While not moving the centered wire bead sections, move along the crocheted loops toe ends of the strands. The ends of the strands will likely not match up either. If an end is more than one loop/stitch different in length than the others, make an extra crochet loop/stitch or two with the excess wire. That is why there is an 8" tail on each end of each stand. The ones shown here are fine to work with and do not need extra loops made.

Step 11

Hand twist the end wire tails for a few turns. Cut the wire tails even. Then use an automatic wire twister to finish tightly twisting the three wire tails together.

Step 12

Slide one small reserved large hole bead on the twisted wire tail and push down tightly to the crocheted wires. Make a wire wrapped loop large enough to be the eye for the clasp you chose. If desired, a short extender chain, up to 1½", could be added to the loop before it is made.

Step 13

Braid the crocheted wire strands together. It may get a bit tricky when you get to the beads, but just manipulate them until you get a look you are happy with. Try to make sure that the beads are on top of the wire when you braid the strands together.

The beads at the end of the braid may not mirror the beads at the beginning, but that is OK. It will not detract from the artisan look of the necklace.

Step 14

The ends of the braided wire chains may not be even on this end of the necklace. Again, that is why there are 8 extra inches of wire on the end of each strand. Crochet one or two stitches on the shorter wires to make the strands line up better in length with the longest one.

Step 15

When the braiding is finished, tightly twist the end wire tails as in Step 12.

Step 16

Slide the other small reserved large hole bead on the twisted wire tail and push down tightly to the braided wires. Make a wire wrapped loop large and incorporate the chosen clasp.

Step 17

Tweak the necklace. Manipulate the beaded section so that all the beads lie on the front of the necklace. Move each of the beads so that you are happy with the look of the necklace.

The front of the beaded section of the necklace shows that the majority of the wire has been pushed beneath or between the beads-left photo. The back of the beaded section of the necklace now looks more wire intensive-right photo.

Step 18

A neck mandrel is not necessary to shape the necklace. Because of the fine wire used to make the necklace, it will easily conform to the neck. Clasp the necklace and curve it into a flat round.

Step 19

Crocheted necklace lengths are very forgiving. If a longer necklace is desired, just stretch the braided ends of the necklace out a bit. If a shorter necklace is needed, the braided sections can be scrunched together a bit to change the length. A choker length necklace is 14-16" long and a princess length is 17-20" long.

You are finished with your beautiful one-of-a-kind crocheted wire and bead necklace!

Step 20

Two and a half 16" strands of medium sized chalk turquoise chips were used to make this gem intensive necklace. One full stand was strung on the wire spool and crocheted. Start with one empty loop. Then capture a chip in each chained loop until the strand is 21" long for a small neck, 23" long for an average neck, and 25" long for a large neck. Repeat the process to make two more crocheted strands. Follow the directions above to finish the necklace.

Reviews

Judy Larson

My philosophy has always been "I will never live long enough to learn everything I want to learn, go everywhere I want to go and see everything I want to see!" So, what I make and how I create it is always changing and evolving. I was born shortly after WWII to parents who grew up during the Depression. They always had a "we can do it, we can make it" attitude which rubbed off on my two younger brothers and me. My brothers are amazing and can make and do ANYTHING! When I was a little girl, my mother gave me an old carved cigar box, which I cherish, filled with pop beads, wooden beads and yarn for stringing. That was the beginning of my jewelry making journey.

On a visit to the Grand Canyon when I was a young woman, I was fortunate enough to help a Native American silversmith sand cast my first silver bracelet and bezel set a large turquoise nugget on top. I was in love, hook, line and sinker! While working full time and having a family here in northern Minnesota, my artistic endeavors slowed down but never stopped. I am an artist, scrapbooker, seamstress, woodworker and jewelry artisan. Now that I am retired, I am able to indulge in all my hobbies. However, there just never seems to be enough time in the day to do it all, but I try!

I have been teaching community education beginner and intermediate jewelry making classes since my retirement. Many of my students have been bitten so hard by the jewelry making bug that they say I have turned them into monsters-they just can't get enough. Making jewelry, seeing something take shape from small bits and pieces, is so rewarding that I hope it brings out the "monster" in you, too!