How to Make a Seashell Anklet (Seashell Jewelry Making)

Seashell Jewelry Making

If you have a seashell collection, you can use the smaller shells from the collection. Some craft stores will carry shells just for crafting and jewelry making purposes. The anklet is made from cowrie shells and pearls. Let's get started on making the anklet...

Things You’ll Need:

beading thread
one lobster claw or spring jewelry clasp, gold or silver plated
two 1 cm jump rings
small pearls
small silver plated or gold plated beads, the same size as the pearls
seashells, either cowrie, or scallops, or other small shells
sewing scissors
jewelry pliers and tweezers
clear nail polish

Instructions

• Drill a small hole at one end of each shell. The hole should be located at the top of the shell. Thread a beading needle with the beading thread and measure out 28”. Fold in half, with the needle at one end, and make a knot in the thread at the bottom. Thread one gold bead onto the needle, slide down all the way to the bottom. The knot will hold the bead in place and keep it from falling off of the thread.


• Next, thread five small pearls onto the needle, and slide down. For the cowrie shells, insert the needle from underneath the shell to the top, slide on a pearl, then re-insert the needle back down through the same hole. The pearl will anchor the shell in position so the top surface of the shell will be facing outwards. Slide on five more small pearls, then one gold or silver bead. Repeat the pattern with the pearls and shells until you reach a total of nine inches. Cut off the needle from the threads with the scissors and make a knot at the end of the thread. Start to move to the beads and shells to the center of the thread so that you will have enough thread at both ends to tie to the jewelry findings.


• At one end of the thread, cut off the knot, then make a square knot, making sure the knot sets right next to the last bead at one end. Take one of the jump rings and tie two double knots securely around it, looping the thread through the ring twice, for extra strength. Repeat the same procedure at the other end of the thread, but this time, attaching the jump ring to the lobster claw or spring clasp before tying the thread to the jump ring. Make the same kind of knot you made at the other end, the double square knot. Dab a tiny bit of clear nail polish onto the knotted ends to keep them from coming apart. Once the polish is dry, your anklet is ready for wearing.
  

The finish product...



Article source: www.eHow.com

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