Pearl Jam

Little clusters of glass beads make this necklace and earring set perfect for adding a chic touch to your outfit

Mattie Richardson, MJ Designer

This necklace and earring set oozes vintage glamour, whilst being perfect day-to-night jewellery

Mattie Richardson's necklace is perfect for achieving a classic look. Though a simple technique, plain loops can make a really effective piece. This is a design that could be dramatically altered by using different colours and sizes of beads, so have a play to make it your own!

Necklace

1. Thread a 6mm glass bead onto a head pin. Cut the head pin leaving 1cm above the bead. Make a right angle bend in the wire, then using round-nosed pliers, grasp the wire at the end and turn it back on itself to make a loop. Make 35 more of these.
2. When you’ve made all the dangles, link 24 of them into pairs by opening one of the loops and attaching it to the other. Secure a 60cm length of nylon-coated wire to one half of a clasp using a crimp bead. Thread on 26 4mm pearls. Pass on a single beaded dangle and then one of the pairs. Continue adding five pearls and three dangles as before.
3. Carry on until 12 bunches of glass beads are in place and finish with 26 pearls. Put a crimp onto the end, then the other half of the clasp. Pass the thread back through the crimp. Compress it and, cutting off any excess, tuck the end of the wire back through the pearls.

Earrings

1. Make six head pin dangles using the previous instructions. Thread six pearls onto an eye pin and make a loop at the top. Open the bottom loop and hook on a single and a pair of dangles. Open the loop at the top and fit the stud ear fitting.