DIY Clusters Lariat Necklace

I have been sorting and organising my bead stash the last few weeks, and looking at all the beautiful beads got me thinking that I really wanted to make a lariat necklace for myself.  Why?  Because, would you believe it, I make and sell lariat necklaces to other women but don't own one myself!  While there are a multitude of lariat styles, my favourites are those with clusters of beads at each end of the necklace.  So today I am sharing with you a little tutorial so that you can make your own clusters lariat necklace.  Can't make your own or would like a DIY kit?  Then send me an email to discuss a custom order.  :)

Supplies

• one length of delicate chain (I used 60cm of chain, but go with whatever length you prefer)
• 4mm jump rings
• headpins
• two large beads, at least 10mm (I used a rainbow fluorite flower bead and a charoite bead)
• 9 x 6-8mm beads to complement the larger beads
• small charms
• jewellery pliers

Instructions

1. Gather the beads and charms and work out bead and charm order for your lariat dangles.  Don't get too worried about your bead layout at this stage, as you can always change things around once the lariat is complete.

2. Thread each bead onto a separate headpin and create an open loop at the top in preparation for attaching to the chain.

3. Attach your two largest beads to the very last link on either end of the chain.  These beads are the foundation of the dangly cluster for each end of the lariat.

4. Keep attaching beads and charms in your designated order, attaching them to successive links up the chain.  You might find that attaching two beads per chain link works well for smaller beads.

5. Once you have attached all of your beads and charms, lay out the two ends of your lariat to see if they are nicely balanced and complement each other.  This is the stage where you may want to move around your beaded dangles or even add or remove beads altogether.  Just remember that you should have a cluster of beads in a shape you like and which is heavy enough to keep your lariat securely dangling around your neck.

6. Now for the important, must do, part: put on your beautiful new lariat and wear it around your home while you do chores, wrangle kids or pets, entertain friends, etc.  You can consider this your testing phase to determine if your bead dangles are heavy enough to keep the lariat on.  You don't want to lose your new necklace while you're out, do you?  Once this is done, wear your new necklace with pride everywhere you go!