French flowers were the crafty creations of poor peasant women back in the 15th Century in France. They used discarded beads to create three dimensional flowers that they used for home décor and to embellish funereal wreaths. This is a modern version of an ancient technique repurposed for a fun focal element in this summery necklace. I’ve made some materials changes to the original design shown here based on products Jewel School by JTV has in stock, but you can use any beads that suit your style!
In fact, I’d love to see what you can do with this idea, so I’m tossing out another challenge to you, Jewel Schoolers! Show us how you re-create a jewelry design based on Flower Power. Send in your 1MB or smaller JPEG images to Jewel.School@JTV.com and I’ll share them on the Jewel School by JTV blog next month! Ready, set…BEAD!
p.s. Jewel Schoolers accepted my Design Challenge to re-think my Seaside Necklace Design, and I'll be posting photos of their amazing creations on the Jewel School by JTV blog soon.
How To Make Flower Power Necklace Design by Margot Potter for Jewel School
Materials
10 JLW3536 11x9-14x10mm Citrine Cushion Cut Rectangle Beads
10 JLW2202A 14x10mm Cherry “Quartz” Glass Faceted Oval Beads
634 JLW4728A 11/0 Crystal Fuchsia Ceylon Lined Seed Beads
21 JLW3346H 8mm Pink Cracked Crystal Quartz Round Beads
1 JLW3346D 8mm Orange Cracked Crystal Quartz Round Bead http://www.jtv.com/Orange-Cracked-Crystal-Quartz-Approximately-8mm-Round-Bead-Strand-15-Inches/1076617,default,pd.html&mcid=XSO00010002111
JSWR86D 24 gauge Artistic Wire Silver Colored Copper Wire
JSWR10B .018 19 strand Beadalon Wire
JLW1768A 2 Sterling Silver EZ-Crimp Ends
JLW2103A Sterling Silver Lobster Clasp
Tools
PLIER21B Mighty Crimp Tool
PLIER27 Round Nose Pliers
PLIER22 Chain Nose Pliers
PLIER25 Flush Cutters
1. To create your French Flower, you will make five individual three layer petals and twist them together upon completion of all five. Start by cutting off a 12” segment of 24 gauge wire.
2. Thread 33 pink Delica beads on one end of wire; let them fall to the center of the wire. Bend the two ends together, grasp at top of beads and twist to form a loop. Add 40 beads to one wire and bend into petal shape. Nestle the first loop inside of this one and twist wire tail tightly around base of first twist once. To make your final petal, add 46 beads to one wire; form a petal as before and twist wire tail tightly around base of existing petals once.
3. Grasp two wires with your chain nose pliers. Twist wires together tightly while holding base of your petals. Create until you have a tightly twisted strand. Cut off stem to about 5”. Repeat for five total beaded petals.
4. Take all five petals and twist together with chain nose pliers. You should have a thick twisted stem.
5. Add a bead to the center of the flower using a 6” segment of 24 gauge wire; twist the wire tails tightly around your thick stem.
6. Cut stem to 1.5” long. Use round nose pliers to loop the stem, tucking wires into back of flower and forming a ‘bail.’ This is where the beading wire will thread to place flower on your beaded strand. Make sure the bail isn’t too large to prevent flower from flopping on finished necklace.
7. The necklace is a simple repetitive strung design. Seed beads are placed in between each of the larger beads. This creates drape and fluidity and serves the same purpose as a knot on a silk strand.
8. Attach an EZ-Crimp end to one end of an 18” strand of beading wire using the Mighty Crimp Tool. Add beads on in the following pattern: pink crackle, seed bead, citrine, seed bead, pink crackle, seed bead, cherry glass, seed bead, pink crackle…continuing this pattern until you reach the 7th cherry glass bead. Slide your flower on the wire. Continue the pattern as follows: pink crackle, seed bead, citrine, seed bead etc. until you reach the final pink crackle bead.
9. Thread wire into EZ-Crimp. Use Mighty Crimp tool to secure wire and cut off excess wire with flush cutters.
