Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Tutorial for the Understatement Necklace

This is a tutorial for the understatement necklace that was featured in the previous post. Go there for pictures of the finished piece and for the supplies list.

This post will cover the steps to make one for yourself. If you want one, but you don't crochet, you can buy one in my Etsy store. If the store is sold out, I'd be happy to custom make one for you. Just let me know.

Crocheters, to start you need to pre-string your beads in the following order: a small 11/0 seed bead, a drop bead ( or a size 6/0 seed bead), and then another 11/0 seed bead. Do this 120 times.

You will be crocheting the beads into 120 clusters.


After you have them all strung, it's helpful to have a little cup in which to put your thread and its supply of beads in waiting.



We are going to start by making the button loop. You may remember that I did not include a button on the supplies list. That was intentional. Some of you crochet a little tighter or a little looser no matter how closely you try to match the gauge. You will want to crochet the button loop before choosing the button because you want to have a snug fit.



The button loop:

  • Leaving a 12" tail, make a slip knot with your thread and insert your hook into it. Ch 12.
  • Join with a sl st to form a ring, being careful not to twist the chain. Ch 1. Do not turn.
  • Work 24 sc into the ring. Join with a sl st to the first sc of the round.
  • Pick up the tail and ch 3 using both the tail and the working thread together as one.
  • Drop the tail. Ch 3 with just the working thread. Do not cut off the tail. At the end you will come back and bury the tail by weaving it into the back of the sc sts of the button loop.



Gauge and Finished Length:

For this project, the gauge is not critical, but I recommend that you aim to get it as close as possible. Your gauge will probably vary over the length of the necklace anyway. Don't worry about it. You can add more beads at the end if you crochet too tightly and want a longer necklace. Conversely, if you crochet more loosely, you can finish the necklace without using all of the beads that were pre-strung.

Aim to have 10-11 bead clusters per 4 inches. You will want to have a finished piece that is 46-48 inches in length.

The Strand of Beads:

  • Work a bead cluster chain stitch (see the following explanation). Ch 3.
  • Repeat the above until you have used all the beads or have achieved your desired necklace length.

The Bead Cluster Chain Stitch:

Step 1: Move three beads close to your hook as in the photo above.



Step 2: Yarn over.

Step 3: Pull the thread through the loop on your hook, locking the beads into place.




After you have made all the bead clusters, find a button that fits your loop snuggly and sew it on the other end. Weave in the tails at both ends of the necklace.

Finishing:

To give your necklace a professional look, you will want to block it before wearing it.

Put your necklace in a bowl of warm water and let it soak for 20 minutes or so. Then blot it with a hand towel. Next lay the necklace on a blocking board (or your ironing board) so that all the bead clusters are on the same side and the necklace is not twisted. Stretch it ever so slightly and pin it into place. Let it dry for a day before you wear it.

If you make one let me know. I'd love to see photos.

45 comments:

Blue Farfallina said...

Wow!!! Thanks for this tutorial! This project is really pretty and elegant...

A knitting bear said...

Lovely project. Thanks for sharing!

Khadijah Chadly said...

Thank you for this detailed, beautiful, and so very well explained project.
Excellent !!

With Salaamz,
Khadijah

Anonymous said...

So pretty! I'm already thinking of the different colored beads to use. I will probably use it as an anklet also.

Cherrel

Sharon said...

Super feedback, everyone. I hope you all have fun making this project.

Yes, an anklet would work. Great idea!

I also didn't mention in the post, but for those younger ones among you with a skinny waist, it could go double around your waist as a tiny belt over a feminine little top.

Unknown said...

Lovely delicate design, beautiful.

Lolly said...

Love it, love it, love it! Can't wait to get some beads! And string!
Thank you very much for showing us and telling us how.

Maiden Jane said...

Simply gorgeous! Thank you!

Gail said...

This is so pretty and delicate, thanks for the great tutorial.

Tinha J ~ Latinha Design said...

Thank you so much for this.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely adorable! Can't wait to go to Michael's and check out all the different beads I can use. Will make this for my daughter for Christmas.

Emmanuelle said...

Lovely :)

Unknown said...

Do you have any blocking tips for getting all the beads to one side? I can't seem to get them to behave!

Sharon said...

Virtual Courtney,

When you block the necklace, after soaking for 20 minutes, stretch the necklace slightly and pin it to a blocking board or your ironing board.

Use straight pins in the bead clusters to keep them all to one side until the necklace is dry. You do not necessarily need a pin in every cluster, but for sure put one in any cluster that wants to migrate to the other side.

Hope this helps.

Kitty said...

I love working with beads! This is so cute I will have to make 3 or 5 of them

Unknown said...

just made this ! TFS !!!!!

lize said...

Thanks for sharing !!!

lize said...

I just made this !!! TFS !!!

Klara Kleingeld said...

This is such a beautiful necklace! Can't wait to make one! I guess it's a quite relaxing project and that's exactly what I need right now :)

Anonymous said...

I love the necklace nice job...

Yizz said...

Thank you so much for this tut. I have just made one for my daughter's Christmas present and it has turned out soooo pretty.

gmailclogger said...

I just made one....turned out just like your picture...THANK YOU SO MUCH for the instructions!

Anonymous said...

Very cute. I go to make it soon for holidays. Thank you very much for this free pattern.

Elaine F. said...

Is number 9 crochet hook correct...they are so large!

Anonymous said...

Love this thank you for sharing!

Samsmama said...

it's the blocking that was the secret I have been missing....couldn't figure out how to get all the beads to stay on one side.....wow, thanks. do you know how to add a pendant while crocheting. thanks

Nicoleta said...

thanks a lot! gorgeous, delicate i loooooove it!


you are so cute!


Nicoleta

celine said...

Beautiful!

Anonymous said...

Awesome! This is perfect for my mom! I'm making it for her birthday. :) Thanks!

justpeachy64 said...

This is so pretty! I can't wait to get started. I'm not sure how to sew a button onto thread as neatly as you did. What's the best way to do it? Thank you.

Sharon said...

Neatly adding a button:

Use the end of the crochet thread to sew on the button. Sew through the hole in the button shank and then sew through your last chain stitch. Repeat 2 more times.

Then wrap the thread as neatly as possible several times (6 or more) around, just below the button shank. Now bury the thread by running it under the wrap-around. Cut off the end.

Darlene Gabriel said...

This absolutely gorgeous! Thank you so much for the tutorial.
I can't wait to try this.

nomie said...

I have never used beads before so this may sound odd but can you possible explain the process of stringing the beads, for example how far apart are they placed and are they knotted onto the thread?

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for the tutorial! This was my first time crocheting anything so small, and next time I'll try to get my loops a little tighter like yours. I crocheted my own button for the end, and I plan to do some matching earrings. I'll send you a picture once I have it blocked! Thanks again

Unknown said...

Absolutly gorgeous! So simple yet not. Hehe!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the tutorial! I made a shorter version, and crocheted my own button right onto the end to finish off. I also did matching earrings! http://pinterest.com/pin/71353975319339859/

Sunnisan said...

i love this!!! it is so tasteful, beautifully designed and yet it is so simple to make. thank you SO much for offering this pattern. this one really stole my heart.

Anonymous said...

Can't wait to start on this project. Going to make it for our minister's wife. thank you so much for sharing it.

Maria João Pereira said...

Very useful! Thanks from Portugal! :-)

Glückskind said...

Wow! Love it. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Muy lindo, gracias por compartirlo, saludos

Anonymous said...

I'd never crocheted before, but I did today!
I made your necklace, but I don't know how to post a pic for you.........thanks for sharing your pattern.
Megan

Unknown said...

finally starting this...have wanted to for years...thanks ...I can't find what size hook you used. If you stated it, I'm sorry, just can't find it...

thanks!

Anonymous said...

Thank you so very much for sharing. I am going to try to make one on my own. :)

mAtilda said...

Grazie, è bellissima ed elegante.
Tank You, it is beatifull and fashion