Peacock Pretty

Combine sparkling crystals with simple components to create Jenny Stevenson’s elegant necklace and earrings set

Jenny Stevenson, MJ Designer

“Flat spirals are a great way to use up leftover lengths of wire and create your own unique charms and head pins”

Learn how to fashion spirals from lengths of wire and transform ordinary bead dangles into ornate focal pieces by making this grown-up version of the ever-popular statement necklace. Perfect for both special occasions and day wear, these accessories will add extra glitz to evening wear, give your beach look a glamorous lift and add a feminine touch to your office wardrobe too!

How To... Make a Spiral

1. Take a length of wire and make a simple loop at one end with round-nosed pliers. Using flat-nosed pliers, hold the loop securely (with the long length of wire closest to you) and firmly push the wire towards the tip of the pliers.
2. Reposition the flatnosed pliers and push the wire towards the tip of the pliers again. Keep repeating this action until you Peacock pretty have a flat spiral at the required size. To finish, bend the remaining length of wire at a right angle from the spiral.

Necklace

1. Cut 15, 14cm lengths of black 0.5mm wire. Thread one piece through a heart crystal and wrap the tail end two or three times around the wire at the top of the pendant using flat-nosed pliers. Trim the shorter end with wire cutters. Thread an 8mm emerald bicone, five seeds, a 4mm mocca bicone, four seeds, a 4mm topaz bicone, four more seed beads, a 4mm black diamond bicone, and a final five seeds above the heart pendant.
2. Form a wrapped loop in the end and trim any excess wire. Create one flat spiral in the end of each remaining section of wire (see How To... for step-by-step instructions), and separate these into pairs. Thread the first couple each with an 8mm capri blue bicone, a seed, one 4mm mocca bicone, a seed, a 4mm topaz bicone, a seed, a 4mm black diamond and another seed bead.
3. For the second pair, add an 8mm emerald bicone, two seeds, a 4mm mocca bicone, a seed, a 4mm topaz bicone, a seed, a 4mm black diamond, and two more seeds. Thread an 8mm capri blue bicone, two seeds, a 4mm mocca bicone, two seeds, a 4mm topaz bicone, two seeds, a 4mm black diamond and two seeds onto the third pair.
4. Add an 8mm emerald bicone, three seeds, a 4mm mocca bicone, two seeds, a 4mm topaz bicone, two seeds, a 4mm black diamond and three seeds to the fourth pair and an 8mm capri blue bicone, four seeds, a 4mm mocca bicone, two seeds, a 4mm topaz bicone, two seeds, a 4mm black diamond, and four seeds onto the fifth pair.
5. For the sixth pair, slip on an 8mm emerald bicone, four seeds, a 4mm mocca bicone, three seeds, a 4mm topaz bicone, three seeds, a 4mm black diamond, and four seeds. To finish the final set, add an 8mm capri blue bicone, five seeds, a 4mm mocca bicone, three seeds, a 4mm topaz bicone, three seeds, a 4mm black diamond, and five more seeds to the last two lengths. Form a wrapped loop at the top of each length.
6. To assemble the necklace, cut a 65cm length of nyloncoated wire and thread a crimp and a wire guardian onto one end. Pass the wire back through the crimp and close using crimping pliers. Trim the tail end and hide the crimp with a cover, securing it into position with flat-nosed pliers. Attach the wire guardian to one end of a toggle clasp using a 5mm jump ring.
7. Thread between 125 and 130 seeds onto the wire followed by a 4mm mocca bicone, two seeds and a bead dangle from pair one. Add a 4mm black diamond bicone, another two seeds, then a dangle from pair two. Follow this with a 4mm topaz bicone, two seeds, a dangle from pair three, a 4mm mocca bicone, two seeds, and a dangle from pair four.
8. Next add a 4mm black diamond, two seeds, a dangle from pair five, a 4mm topaz bicone, two seeds, a dangle from pair six, a 4mm mocca bicone, two seeds and a dangle from the final pair. Pass on a 4mm black diamond, four seeds and the heart pendant dangle. Mirror the stringing pattern to finish the other side of the necklace.
9. Thread a crimp and wire guardian onto the end of the wire, pass this back through the crimp and close. Trim the tail end and hide the crimp with a cover as before. Attach the guardian to the other half of the toggle clasp with a 5mm jump ring to finish.

Earrings

1. Cut three, 14cm lengths of black 0.5mm wire. Take one section and form a spiral at the end (see How To...for stepby- step instructions). Thread an 8mm capri blue bicone onto the same piece, make a wrapped loop above the bead and trim any excess wire.
2. Thread a crystal heart onto a second length of wire, make a wrapped loop directly above it, then add on three seed beads, followed by a 4mm topaz bicone and another seven seeds. Make a wrapped loop in the end and trim any excess wire.
3. For the final piece of wire, form a spiral in one end and thread one 8mm emerald bicone and five seed beads above it. Make a wrapped loop as before and trim any excess wire. Attach the three bead dangles to an earwire with a single 5mm jump ring to finish. Repeat to make a pair.