Y necklaces are still popular. I like to wear them, but they are even more fun to make. The instructions in this project are for a Y necklace made with hematite hearts, a hematite tear drop, and some Czech crystal beads. However, they can be made with a variety of beads. I also enjoy adding animal or angel charms to dangle in the middle of the necklace.
The tools you will need are:
The materials you will need are:
1. Put one crystal bead, heart bead, and then crystal bead onto eye pin.
2. Using round nose pliers, bend wire away from you so it’s about 90 degrees. Make sure there’s about ¼ inches of pin between beads and bent part of wire.
3. Use wire cutters and cut pin so bent part is about ½ inches long.
4. Grip the bent part of the pin with middle of nose on round nosed pliers. Use the pliers to curl the bin towards you and form a loop, but don’t close loop.
5. Repeat steps 1 & 2 for three more times for each eye pin. Now you should have four pieces that look like earrings with a loop on either end.
6. Cut two 4" lengths of chain.
7. Attach top loop (heart is right side up) of one of the "earrings" onto one end of the lengths of chain.
8. Cut two 2" lengths of chain.
9. Attach one of the 2" lengths to the bottom end of the "earring" you just attached to the 4" pieces of chain.
10. Attach another "earring" to the end of the 2" piece of chain. (Again, make sure heart bead is right side up).
11. Add a jump ring to other end of 4" piece of chain.
12. Repeat steps 5, 7, and 8 so you have a duplicate piece.
13. Add spring ring clasp to other end of 4" piece of chain.
14. Cut another 2" piece of chain.
15. Attach this 2" piece ends of the two duplicate pieces you made in steps 1 - 12.
14. Now to add the center piece that makes this a Y necklace. Cut ¾" of chain.
15. Using head pin, insert hematite teardrop, crystal bead, and heart bead onto pin.
16. Using wire cutters, trim the head pin so it is approx. one inch long.
17. Repeat step 2.
18. Add teardrop to end of ¾" chain.
19. Finally, open up and jump ring and add the center piece to the jump ring. Don't close the ring yet.
20. Fold your necklace in half to find the approx. middle of the necklace. Now insert the jump ring onto a loop in the middle part of the necklace. Close the jump ring.
As you can see, I didn't ever suggest that you count the loops of the chain. I used to do this. However, if your chain is small to medium sized, I noticed after awhile, it didn't seem to matter and that a "guesstimate" seems to work fine and is much quicker and saves your eye sight.
You will probably have extra little pieces of chain. Make sure you keep them. I have a few ideas on how to use it up that I'll explain in future projects.
This a simple project. In fact, I've taught a number of Y necklace classes with students as young as eight years old. Of course, I did help them a little, but not as much as you would think. Probably the most difficult part is learning to use the round nosed pliers. If you need some extra tips, then you might want to review the loop technique I explained in another featured project.
All graphics created by Tammy Powley.
