Help needed with making a necklace and a bracelet.

[CharmedOne]

Hi All,

I want to make a necklace and a bracelet for my little ones OT. She is in her early twenties and wears a pearl necklace, headband and earrings everyday that she says she bought from Claire's. She is tall and thin and the necklace she wears sits right on her collar bone. So what length do you think I should make the necklace and the bracelet. Is there a standard length for everyday wear? She wears pearl studs but I really wanna make her some dangle earrings. And for the necklace and bracelet should I use a spring ring clasp or a toggle clasp? Her pieces have white metal findings, so I think I will use sterling silver. I ordered some 8lb white power pro thread that should be here tomorrow, so I can get started. I wont see her again until Wednesday, so i have a few days to get it done. Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me. ~d

 

[Pearl Dreams]

8 lb. Power Pro is quite thin...are the pearls rather small with tiny holes? I've used 10 lb. thread on my vintage graduated akoyas but it would have been too fine a thread for my other pearls, for which I used 20 lb.

I love toggles; some are really pretty and add an artistic element. I love them for bracelets, more than for necklaces (they tickle the back of my neck!) I've seen some larger spring rings that I thought added a nice designer look, but don't care for the small plain spring rings, personally.

If she is slender and the necklace sits on her collarbones, I'd say it's 16".

 

[pattye]

CharmedOne,

What a thoughtful gift! Perhaps go slightly longer for the necklace, 17 or 18 inches, those lengths work for most, and it seems many women are wanting lengths slightly longer than just at the base of the neck. Depending on the size of the pearls, for a bracelet I would recommend 7 1/4 to 7 1/2 inch. The larger the pearl, the more space they take up on the inside of the bracelet circle. If the pearls are smaller and more light weight, a spring ring will likely work fine, most toggles can support more weight easily. These are just my opinions, of course. I find a toggle clasp slightly easier to work one handed. I hope you'll give us a photo before the gift is delivered.

What size pearls will you be working with?

 

[pearlescence]

Measure the current necklace and bracelet. The hang of each depends on the size of her neck and wrist. Huge variations possible. measure twice and make once

 

[CharmedOne]

Thank you all for your help. The pearls are six millimeters. I will see what other findings I have but the spring ring is just a plain one. I do have a kinda hook clasp. It's kinda like a fish hook with a decorative swirl design. Maybe use that for the necklace and the toggle for the bracelet. I have round pearls and rondelles? I think that's what they are called. Which should I use? The rounds have pink and peach overtones. The rondelles have silver overtones. I will have to find some stronger thread online. Is the 20 lb thread thicker? Because the holes on he rondelles are very small.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Test the thread with your beads this way:

Thread a needle, double it and make a tight knot. String on a pearl. Does the knot pass through the hole? If so, the thread is too thin for the hole.
If the knot does not pass through the hole, pass the thread through the pearl hole twice (double back.) If it can't fit through the hole twice, the thread is too thick for the hole.

 

[CharmedOne]

Thank you PD. I still haven't been able to find the white at any stores at all. So I will have to order it online. I doubled the 8lb for this project and when I made the knot at the end it didn't come through so I think this may be ok this time. I finished the necklace and will do the bracelet with the toggle clasp next. Now I just have to get a little gift bag o out them in. Thanks again everybody for all your help. ~d