Loops and Washers Necklace

I love the flat ceramic glazed Washer Beads by Elaine Ray. I have a dish with about 30 on my desk that I keep playing with...they are so interesting with their glazed edges and (in some cases) Elaine's fingerprints. The circular shape is also very appealing to me.

This necklace is a fun play on the geometry of the washers, large thick jump rings and loops of SoftFlex wire. The wire is colored a lovely russet red and it plays off the glazes and the copper. The loops of wire are light weight and they flip and move with the design. I finished the dangling loops of SoftFlex with crimps and then crimp covers initially, but the weight of the crimp covers made them all fall to the bottom of the necklace and that was a bit too regular-looking for me. I pried off all the crimp covers with a cringe (what a waste!) but the design looks much better.

Oh well, you have to break some eggs to make an omelet, right?

Ingredients:
Soft Flex wire, 90 inches
Elaine Ray washer beads in Parakeet (3), Leaf (3), Tangerine (3), Cherry (3)
1 antique copper spring ring clasp, 9 mm
2 antique copper knot covers
14 copper crimps, size 1
12 antique copper jump rings, 11 mm
3 inches antique copper extender chain

1. Cut 12-3 inch sections of Soft Flex. Create loops with the wire and secure the loops with crimps. Set loops aside.
2. Using your chain nose pliers open an 11 mm jump ring and thread it through one of the Elaine Ray washer beads and through one of the Soft Flex loops. Close securely. Repeat with all washer beads and Soft Flex loops. Set beads aside.
3. Cut 3-18 inch sections of Soft Flex. Thread the Elaine Ray washer beads onto the grouped Soft Flex strands. Pay attention to the order of the beads. Line up the ends of the three strands and slide them through a knot cover. Fit the wire ends into a single crimp and flatten the crimp very tightly. Using your chain nose pliers close the knot cover over the flattened crimp. Repeat this at the other end of the wires.
4. Using your chain nose pliers attach the clasp to one of the knot covers. Open the oval jump ring with your chain nose pliers and attach the extender chain to the other knot cover.


This necklace is about 18 inches finished, but you could shorten or lengthen it as you desired.
I also considered making one with the Renewal Trio and Leaf, Parakeet Blue and Creme Brulee washers...or with the Extreme Trio and Pewter and Old Bronze washers...hmm, I just might go do that!









of course, all the supplies are available on-line at Ornamentea.com...and with me in Raleigh, NC.