The heron pendant at the center of this necklace inspired the rest of the design. Herons are such magical creatures!
Cheri was inspired by the color of turquoise patina when she made this necklace. She matched the patina pendants at the center of her design with Dakota Stones gemstone beads in the perfect matching shades. To complement the organic look of the patina finish, she used TOHO Amiet thread to create a wrapped design on her donut pendant, as well as to create beaded crochet strands for the body of her necklace. You can see even more patina inspiration in this Artbeads Cafe episode.
Slide a Czech glass 3x5mm amber with Picasso faceted roundel bead onto a 2-inch antique brass-plated 20 gauge eye pin, followed by a Vintaj natural brass 7mm classic bead cap, a Dakota Stones cuprite 10mm round bead, a 7mm bead cap, and a Czech roundel. Make a wrapped loop at the top of the beads.
Open the eye of the eye pin and attach the large brass tall heron pendant with patina. Close the eye. Set aside for now.
Cut two lengths of TOHO Amiet beading thread in brown variegated approximately two feet long each. Fold both lengths in half and bring the fold through the large brass heavy donut pendant with patina, as shown in the photo below.
Add your heron pendant to the two ends of just one strand of Amiet thread. Make sure this strand is to the inside of the other ends of thread.
Gather the ends of all threads together in one hand. Use your finger on the other hand to pull on the folds of the threads, as shown in the photo below.
Bring the ends of the threads through the folds and pull tight to secure around the donut pendant.
Pull the ends of your cords to the top of the donut pendant and split them (with two on each side) to make a V, as shown in the photo below.
Working with one pair of cords to one side of the donut, wrap them around the back of the pendant and back through the center. Make sure they are coming up and out of the donut to the left of the cords, as shown in the photo below.
Bring these cord ends over themselves, to the top of the donut once again.
Repeat step 8 and 9 for the cord ends on the other side of the donut.
Cut two more lengths of Amiet thread, approximately 12 inches long each. Bring these cords over the ends of your original cords and through the donut to each side of the cords, as shown in the photo below.
Pull this cord tight to the top of the donut. These new cords should be coming out from the back of the donut. Make an overhand knot with the cords to the front of the donut.
You should have eight individual cord ends coming out of the knot. Separate them out and add a bead to each strand. We added a Czech roundel to two strands, a Czech glass 3mm matte metallic gold copper iris fire-polished bead to four of the strands, a Dakota Stones gold druzy agate 6mm faceted round bead to one strand, and a Dakota Stones rhyolite 8mm faceted round bead to one strand.
Bring the strands together and move the beads if needed so that they are spaced nicely on the threads, taking up about an inch of length.
Tie an overhand knot at the top of the beads.
Curve the cord ends back toward the back of the donut (flip the donut over if you have to). Tie another overhand knot in the cords, about another inch down.
Use tweezers to open the knot at the base of your beads and donut pendant, just wide enough to bring the cord ends through. Once you have your tweezers through the middle of the knot, use them to grasp your cord ends and pull them through, forming a loop.
Once your cord ends are pulled through the knot, make another knot with these cord ends (at the base of your first knot and to the back of the donut pendant).
Bring half of your cord ends under the cord to the left of your knot on the back of the donut pendant. Knot each cord end individually and trim. Use glue to add extra security to each knot. Repeat with the other half of the cord ends, this time bringing them under the cord to the right of your knot on the back of the donut.
To make the first bead crochet strand, use a big eye needle to thread all of the required beads for one strand onto the Amiet thread, working from the spool of thread. We used about 46-50 beads per strand. Beads include the 10mm cuprite beads, 8mm faceted rhyolite beads, the gold druzy beads, the 3x5mm faceted Czech glass roundels, the 3mm fire-polished beads, as well as Dakota Stones 8mm aqua dyed impression jasper round beads. Add the beads to the thread in a random order, making sure to space out bigger beads nicely. It doesn't hurt to string more beads than necessary, because you can always remove the beads you don't need after crocheting. You can also add beads at that point if you need to. Keep in mind that one foot of strung beads is equivalent to about 1 ½ feet of length after you have crocheted the design.
We used a size E4 3.5mm crochet hook to crochet with the beads. You will add one bead to each chain stitch. For larger beads, you will want to add an empty stitch (a stitch with no bead) on either side of the bead, to keep the other smaller beads from slipping through the stitch. Keep crocheting until your strand is the desired length, working from the spool. Each strand is about 13 ½ inches long.
Repeat steps 20 and 21 to make the other two crochet strands.
Slide the loop of the heron pendant over all three strands of bead crochet and make sure it sits at the center of the strands.
Knot the ends of all three strands together at one end. Secure the knot with glue and trim
Hook the eye of an eye pin to the ends of the strands. You may have to open the loop. Make sure that you close the loop of the eye pin tightly once it's attached, so there are no gaps in the wire.
Slide the Vintaj natural brass 12x12mm Roman leaf bead cap onto the eye pin, followed by a Czech glass roundel.
Make a wrapped loop at the top of the bead cap and roundel.
Repeat steps 24-27 on the other end of the strands.
Cut a length of brass chain approximately 6 ¼ inches long. The chain used in this piece is no longer available, but we have listed a similar chain in the supplies list (5x3mm antique brass fox chain). Attach the chain to one end of the necklace using a Vintaj natural brass 5mm 18 gauge jump ring. Repeat on the other end of the necklace.
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Heron's Landing Necklace Tutorial
Brass Patina Heron Pendant Necklace on Three Bead Crochet Strands with Gemstones
designed byCheri Carlson
Skill LevelBeginner
TechniqueCrochet with Beads
Time4-6 Hours
Approximate Size26 Inches
The heron pendant at the center of this necklace inspired the rest of the design. Herons are such magical creatures!
Cheri was inspired by the color of turquoise patina when she made this necklace. She matched the patina pendants at the center of her design with Dakota Stones gemstone beads in the perfect matching shades. To complement the organic look of the patina finish, she used TOHO Amiet thread to create a wrapped design on her donut pendant, as well as to create beaded crochet strands for the body of her necklace. You can see even more patina inspiration in this Artbeads Cafe episode.
Supplies
Round Nose Pliers
Code TOOL-108
$8.49
×1
Chain Nose Pliers
Code TOOL-106
$8.49
×2
TOHO Amiet Beading Thread, Brown Variegated (20 Meters/22 Yards)
Vintaj Natural Brass 12 x 12mm Roman Leaf Bead Cap
Code FIND-2297
$2.79
×2
Large Brass Tall Heron Pendant with Patina
Code PEND-1305
$11.49
×1
Vintaj Natural Brass 5mm 18 Gauge Jump Ring - Min Qty 10
Code FIND-2333
$0.16
×4
Step-by-Step Instructions
Slide a Czech glass 3x5mm amber with Picasso faceted roundel bead onto a 2-inch antique brass-plated 20 gauge eye pin, followed by a Vintaj natural brass 7mm classic bead cap, a Dakota Stones cuprite 10mm round bead, a 7mm bead cap, and a Czech roundel. Make a wrapped loop at the top of the beads.
Open the eye of the eye pin and attach the large brass tall heron pendant with patina. Close the eye. Set aside for now.
Cut two lengths of TOHO Amiet beading thread in brown variegated approximately two feet long each. Fold both lengths in half and bring the fold through the large brass heavy donut pendant with patina, as shown in the photo below.
Add your heron pendant to the two ends of just one strand of Amiet thread. Make sure this strand is to the inside of the other ends of thread.
Gather the ends of all threads together in one hand. Use your finger on the other hand to pull on the folds of the threads, as shown in the photo below.
Bring the ends of the threads through the folds and pull tight to secure around the donut pendant.
Pull the ends of your cords to the top of the donut pendant and split them (with two on each side) to make a V, as shown in the photo below.
Working with one pair of cords to one side of the donut, wrap them around the back of the pendant and back through the center. Make sure they are coming up and out of the donut to the left of the cords, as shown in the photo below.
Bring these cord ends over themselves, to the top of the donut once again.
Repeat step 8 and 9 for the cord ends on the other side of the donut.
Cut two more lengths of Amiet thread, approximately 12 inches long each. Bring these cords over the ends of your original cords and through the donut to each side of the cords, as shown in the photo below.
Pull this cord tight to the top of the donut. These new cords should be coming out from the back of the donut. Make an overhand knot with the cords to the front of the donut.
You should have eight individual cord ends coming out of the knot. Separate them out and add a bead to each strand. We added a Czech roundel to two strands, a Czech glass 3mm matte metallic gold copper iris fire-polished bead to four of the strands, a Dakota Stones gold druzy agate 6mm faceted round bead to one strand, and a Dakota Stones rhyolite 8mm faceted round bead to one strand.
Bring the strands together and move the beads if needed so that they are spaced nicely on the threads, taking up about an inch of length.
Tie an overhand knot at the top of the beads.
Curve the cord ends back toward the back of the donut (flip the donut over if you have to). Tie another overhand knot in the cords, about another inch down.
Use tweezers to open the knot at the base of your beads and donut pendant, just wide enough to bring the cord ends through. Once you have your tweezers through the middle of the knot, use them to grasp your cord ends and pull them through, forming a loop.
Once your cord ends are pulled through the knot, make another knot with these cord ends (at the base of your first knot and to the back of the donut pendant).
Bring half of your cord ends under the cord to the left of your knot on the back of the donut pendant. Knot each cord end individually and trim. Use glue to add extra security to each knot. Repeat with the other half of the cord ends, this time bringing them under the cord to the right of your knot on the back of the donut.
To make the first bead crochet strand, use a big eye needle to thread all of the required beads for one strand onto the Amiet thread, working from the spool of thread. We used about 46-50 beads per strand. Beads include the 10mm cuprite beads, 8mm faceted rhyolite beads, the gold druzy beads, the 3x5mm faceted Czech glass roundels, the 3mm fire-polished beads, as well as Dakota Stones 8mm aqua dyed impression jasper round beads. Add the beads to the thread in a random order, making sure to space out bigger beads nicely. It doesn't hurt to string more beads than necessary, because you can always remove the beads you don't need after crocheting. You can also add beads at that point if you need to. Keep in mind that one foot of strung beads is equivalent to about 1 ½ feet of length after you have crocheted the design.
We used a size E4 3.5mm crochet hook to crochet with the beads. You will add one bead to each chain stitch. For larger beads, you will want to add an empty stitch (a stitch with no bead) on either side of the bead, to keep the other smaller beads from slipping through the stitch. Keep crocheting until your strand is the desired length, working from the spool. Each strand is about 13 ½ inches long.
Repeat steps 20 and 21 to make the other two crochet strands.
Slide the loop of the heron pendant over all three strands of bead crochet and make sure it sits at the center of the strands.
Knot the ends of all three strands together at one end. Secure the knot with glue and trim
Hook the eye of an eye pin to the ends of the strands. You may have to open the loop. Make sure that you close the loop of the eye pin tightly once it's attached, so there are no gaps in the wire.
Slide the Vintaj natural brass 12x12mm Roman leaf bead cap onto the eye pin, followed by a Czech glass roundel.
Make a wrapped loop at the top of the bead cap and roundel.
Repeat steps 24-27 on the other end of the strands.
Cut a length of brass chain approximately 6 ¼ inches long. The chain used in this piece is no longer available, but we have listed a similar chain in the supplies list (5x3mm antique brass fox chain). Attach the chain to one end of the necklace using a Vintaj natural brass 5mm 18 gauge jump ring. Repeat on the other end of the necklace.