How To Make Wire Wrapped Bead Necklace With Handmade Clasp

Make your own wire wrapped bead necklace with handmade clasp thanks to guest tutor Cat!

Cat Stacey Jewellery joins us to bring you an exciting jewellery making project which is suitable for beginners and those wanting to try their hand at wire work techniques. It also includes how to make your own handmade clasp which requires some soldering techniques, which could be a great place to start if you're a beginner in this area.

You can get creative with your own take on this design by combining your favourite metals and gemstones! This design features our elegant lapis lazuli beads and we are obsessed with what Cat has created.

Watch Cat's video tutorial below and find all the recommended tools and supplies, so you can easily recreate your own unique necklace for yourself.

Recommended Project Tools & Supplies

• Pliers – snipe nose (also known as straight), bent nose (available in our pliers pack) and round nosed pliers
• Wire cutters
• Ruler/tape measure
• Set of files (metal or emery style)
• Soldering block
• Gas torch
• Solder & flux (or soldering paste)
• Brass or plastic tweezers
• Pot of water for quenching
• Pickle
• Your chosen polishing method: polishing papers/barrelling machine/polishing mops etc for Dremel
• Sterling silver wire - 0.4 mm or similar (hard hard if possible) for wire wrapping the beads
• Sterling silver wire – 1.0 mm (soft) for the clasp – adjust thickness as preferred for the style and size of the clasp - you may also like to use a jig to help form your clasp shape
• Sterling silver chain – featuring fine cable chain
• Focal bead / briolette bead – featuring lapis lazuli briolette
• Accent beads – featuring lapis lazuli barrel shaped beads
• Sterling silver jump ring 6mm or similar for the clasp receiver

The wire wrapping techniques used in this project are the same as creating a bead chain as shown above. Click here to follow our detailed step by step photo tutorial if you need a more visual guide.

1. First use 0.4mm wire to wire wrap each side of the briolette – bend the loops slightly upwards so they are perpendicular to the sides of the briolette and so they will be in line with the chain when it is added.

2. Cut the chain to length – remember, if you want the final necklace to be, for example, 16 inches, subtract the clasp length plus the finished length of all the wrapped beads from that length. Cut to size, then cut again in half.

TIP: If you’re not sure about the length, wait until the briolette and accent beads are almost wrapped and for the final loops (for accent beads) to be joined to the chain. At this point, wire wrap to each end of your long, full length of chain. The final adjustment to chain length can be done at the end of the tutorial once the clasp has been made. Cut to length at Step 11 instead when you add the final accent beads to the clasp-end of the chain.

3. Wire wrap an accent bead onto one loop of the wire-wrapped briolette. Add the chain onto the other side of this accent when you complete the wire-wrapping to join all these elements together.

4. Repeat on the other side of the briolette. This will form the main part of the necklace.

5. Use your round nosed pliers (or a jig) to form the shape of the clasp. I create an S-shape, and on one of the ends of wire, I enjoy adding a tight little circle before snipping the excess, to add a little flourish. Feel free to be as elaborate or minimal with your design as you wish! Just keep one of the cut ends plain as this is the functional end to thread onto the receiver part.

6. For this functional, open end of the clasp, it can help to add a shallow bend towards the end to help when threading the receiver ring on.

Gemstone Briolettes >

Briolettes are a pear shaped cut of stone that is usually head drilled and generally covered in facets! We love using them to create statement pendant and earring drop designs.

Metal Wire >

Customise your design by experimenting with different metal wire such as gold!

Customise With Your Favourite Beads >

Choose from our huge selection of gemstone beads to use as your accent beads! You want to choose beads that are smaller than your focal/feature bead to compliment the design.

Pliers Pack With All The Pliers You Need To Get Started >

Our pliers pack contains round nose pliers, snipe nose pliers, flat nose pliers, bent nose pliers and side cutters. All the basic pliers you need, in a handy zip up case to keep them organised.

How To Make Gemstone Bead Earrings >

How To Make A Beaded Bracelet With Flex-Rite Wire & Wire Guardians >