March 2007 Knitted Coloured Wire Necklace With Glass Beads

Please read all the instructions before commencing.

PLEASE HANDLE THE KNITTED COLOURED WIRE, GLASS BEADS AND  FASTENING WITH CARE AS THEY ARE DELICATE.

REQUIREMENTS

1 x KC 176 W Chartreuse Knitted Coloured Wire

1 x KC 180 W Supablue Knitted Coloured Wire

1 x BL 193 H Blue Glass Foiled Beads with Large Hole

1 x BF 198 S Fastening Silver Plated (2 box calottes and 1 barrel clasp)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut 2 pieces of knitted coloured wire 25" (64cm) long, using two different colours (1 x  KC 176 W Chartreuse and 1 x KC 180 W Supablue).

2. Place the Chartreuse knitted wire on top of the Supablue knitted wire. Twist the two right hand ends together.  Slide one bead (BL 193 H blue) on to the right hand end of the knitted wire until it reaches the centre point.

3. Slide on the second bead leaving a gap of 1 1/2" (4cm) between the beads. Pull apart slightly the knitted wire between the beads and press the top of your thumb into the 1 1/2" (4cm) piece of knitted wire until it produces a cupped shape.  The wire can be manipulated with a little pressure from the fingers to form the shape you require.  The inner knitted wire (Chartreuse) can remain as it is but the outer knitted wire (Supablue) can be pulled and manipulated further to make it a larger cupped shape until it is visible behind the inner knitted wire.

4. Slide on a third bead and repeat step 3.

5. Now working from the left hand side, twist the two wires together, place a bead on the knitted wire and repeat step 3 twice, using five beads in total.

6. Cut off the left and right hand ends of the knitted wire to the length of 6 1/2" (16.5cm), or the length required, from the last bead.  Twist the ends.

7. Lay the twisted end of the knitted wire into the tray of the box calotte with the loop of the calotte pointing away from you.  Make sure the solid portion of the calotte appears on the front of the necklace and that the two ends, which will be folded in, will appear on the reverse of the necklace. Using flat nose pliers fold down one side of the calotte over the twisted end of the knitted wire.  Try to get the flap down as flat as possible. Fold down the other side of the calotte over the other one.  Finally give the whole calotte a gentle squeeze with the pliers.  To complete the fastening, attach the barrel clasp to the loop on the calotte and repeat with the other end.  Make sure the loops on the barrel clasp are completely closed.

SUGGESTIONS

a. Use discs (BD 195 S or BD 196 G) instead of glass beads.

b. Use metal tubes (BT 197 S) instead of glass beads.

c. Wind coloured craft wire (CC 166 W) around the knitted coloured wire to give the appearance of a bead.

d. Use shell buttons with 2 or 4 holes (SB 044 F, SB 045 R, SB 046 H) instead of glass beads.  Wind coloured craft wire around the knitted coloured wire, through the holes of the button and then around the knitted coloured wire again.

e. Use one piece of knitted coloured wire, follow the instructions given above for the necklace but leave a 1" (2.5cm) gap between the beads.

f. After creating a cupped shape, as described in step 3 for the necklace, insert a darning needle or machine knitting transfer tool in the edge stitch of the top and bottom of the cupped shape and pull outwards carefully but firmly.  You will create a cupped diamond shape with emphasised points where the needles have been.

The possibilities are endless and great fun.

Please see 'Suggestions' on the "Wire" - Knitted Coloured Wire page for more inspirational ideas.

©Torbay Textiles 2007