August birthstone earrings Happy birthday Leo! Your present: peridot bib earrings
by Jane Konkel
Published: August 3, 2011 These earrings are a striking option if you don't have time to string
the bib necklace project pictured on page 22 of the September 2011 issue. Save the bib necklace project for a rainy day and make these peridot, amethyst, and gunmetal earrings (a quicker option) today. Depending upon the size of the links of your chain, you may want to use Wire Guardians on each end of the beaded strands.
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Supplies
60–80 4 mm peridot beads
20–28 4 mm amethyst beads
10–14 5 mm spacers
10–14 in. (25–36 cm) chain, 2–6 mm links
flexible beading wire, .014 or .015
20–28 crimp beads
20–28 crimp covers
20–28 Wire Guardians (optional)
pair of leverback earring wires
chainnose or crimping pliers
diagonal wire cutters
Peridot and amethyst beads from Beads and Pieces, beadsandpieces.com.
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1. For each earring: Cut two 2–4-in. (5–10 cm) pieces of chain. Cut a 3-in. (7.6 cm) piece of beading wire. String a crimp bead, Wire Guardian (optional) and a chain's center link. Go back through the crimp bead, tighten the wire, and crimp the crimp bead (Basics). Trim the excess wire. Use crimping pliers to close a crimp cover over the crimp.
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2. String: four peridot beads, the end link of the first chain, an amethyst bead, a spacer, an amethyst bead, an end link of the other chain, four peridot beads, crimp bead, Wire Guardian (optional), the chain's center link. Go back through the last few beads strung and tighten the wire. Crimp the crimp bead and trim the excess wire. Close a crimp cover over the crimp.
Skip two links and repeat the pattern, gradually reducing the number of beads on each wire, until the beaded section is about 1 in (2.5 cm) from top to bottom.
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3. Trim each chain below the shortest beaded strand.
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4. Open the loop of an earring wire (Basics) and attach the end link of each chain. Close the loop.
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