Tools Required

• Two pair small flatblade chain nose (or flat nose) pliers. Make sure insides are smooth so they don't scratch the jewelry. I use two pairs to open and close jump rings and the top loop.
• Crimper (with "c" crimp and round crimp) (A microcrimper is nice too sometimes)
• Small good quality diagonal cutter.
• Good light and if needed, magnifier
• Small lead clips from Radio Shack (to clip on ends of wire or string so you don't lose beads.)

Materials Required

• Necklace (or Bracelet) Beads
• Bead stringing material (accuflex or softflex)
• Crimp beads (twisted or corregated ... they "bite" better in the slippery nylon surface)
• Small jump rings
• 4-8 larger hole beads (large enough for the stringing material to go through them twice.)

Design & Stringing

• Either leave one end of the stringing material uncut, or make it about 6" longer than the finished necklace so you have working room. (With practice you may reduce this to 3"-4" but why stress yourself out.)
• Allow 1 1/2" - 1 3/4" for end beads, crimps, jumprings and clasp
• When designing a necklace make sure there are no sharp beads (like bicones, sharp crystals and some squares) on the back of neck.
• If you are using bugle beads or twisted bugle or twisted liquid silver or gold (where the ends are rough), put smooth round beads in between each sharp one to protect the wearer.
• When you have a focus point on a necklace in front, be sure to put heavier beads in front so it naturally hangs in the correct position.
• Consider overall weight. Most people don't like wearing a heavy necklace all day. No one likes earrings that pull or distorts the earlobes. Lighten pieces with hollow metal, plastic or small beads.
• Use twisted or corrigated crimp beads so they bite into the Accuflex or Softflex better
• Put the crimp bead between a larger hole bead on the end and 1-3 larger hole bead(s) on the necklace side, so the end can go back through an extra bead(s) and so the neck is protected from the crimp.
• Always begin and end necklaces with a small sturdy jump ring. Then use a larger, thinner jump ring to connect the clasp. This has three advantages over connecting the clasp directly.
  1. If jerked or pulled the thin jump ring is more likely to break than anything else and it is easily replacable compaired to restringing.
  2. You can change clasps as needed.
  3. If the necklace is a little too short you can easily extend it with jump rings.
• In summary stringing the end beads and and crimps in order are:
  
  1. necklace beads
  2. 1-3 larger hole beads
  3. crimp bead (twist or corregated and sized to stringing material)
  4. 1 larger hole bead
  5. small sturdy jump rings (2.4 -3 mm)
  6. larger jump rings (3 - 4 mm)
  7. clasp (recommend toggle or lobster claw)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• When crimping do the "c" crimp first, then round the c into a round bead.
  Detailed crimping instructions, are below.
• When crimped and trimmed, use additional larger jumprings to attach clasp

Crimping Techniques & Illustrations