Anthro Electrolier Necklace Knockoff

Anthro Necklace Week is here!!

This is one of my favorite - and most fun for me - weeks on the blog!! This week we’ll have FIVE Anthro Necklace Knockoffs – and on Saturday we’ll have giveaways for all FIVE!!

Are you ready to dive right in and see what our first necklace is? Me Too!!

We’re starting off the week with a beaut! It’s the Anthro Electrolier Necklace!
Here’s my version!

Isn’t it pretty? And so easy to change out for different colors and beads!

Here’s Anthro’s Version – coming in at a whopping $198.
Yeah – we can beat that.

Pretty fun right?

Ready to get crafty?

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 8 mm pearls – 18″
• two sizes of teardrop beads – about 15 or so
• small lengths of chain – about 8″
• toggle closure
• pin or other decorative focal piece
• 24 gauge wire
• seed beads
• heavy duty thread
• beading cording
• 4 jump rings
• 2 crimp beads
• optional – bail
• Jewelry tools

All the supplies came from Michaels.

We’re going to start by adding the tear drop beads to a length of chain. You don’t have to cut it yet, it will be easier to work with if it’s not super small.
Check the How To Do That page for a tutorial on how to do wire wrapping for tear drop beads – or briolettes.

Add a few tear drop beads to 1 1/2″  of the chain. Use both sizes – on my strand I have 8 beads.

Trim the chain to 1 1/2″. Add a jump ring to the top loop of chain, and add this ring to your toggle closure.
On mine I have three loops – if you only have one, that’s fine, all the rings can attach there.

Add more teardrop beads to another length of chain. These can be spaced a little farther apart – the length should be about 2 1/2″.

Cut the chain to 2 1/2″ and add the top loop of chain to the toggle closure.

I also added another tear drop bead to the center loop of the toggle closure. If all your chain is in one place, you might not need this one.
Totally up to you. :)

Connect the other ends of the two chains with a jump ring.

Thread a small needle with heavy duty thread or thin cording.
Knot it well around the last link of short length of chain.

Thread the needle through a few seed beads – about 1″ in length.

Bring the needle back through all the beads, except for the last bead.

Pull the thread up snuggly against the chain and knot the thread well. Move onto the next link of the chain. Tie a knot in the next length.

String another strand of seed beads – repeating the process from the first strand.
Vary the lengths of the seed bead strands – working your way all down the length of the small chain.

Add just a little bit of glue (I used E-6000) to your knots to help hold them.

The strands should just lay through out the beads for a slightly messy look.

If you pin or focal piece doesn’t have loops on two sides of the back, glue one or two bails on the back. You’ll need to be able to connect to both the top and bottom of the piece.

Add the other part of the toggle closure to the bottom of the piece. I used 2 jump rings so the closure would lay flat.

Cut a length of beading cording about 24″ long. Attach the cording to the jump ring at the end of your chain pieces (not the toggle side) with a crimp bead.

Begin stringing on your pearls – make sure that these first few cover the small end of the cording as well.

Continue stringing pearls until you have an 18″ strand.

Attach the other end of a strand to a jump  ring with a crimp bead. Add this ring to the top loop of your focal piece.

And that’s it!

The closure should go on the side instead of the back like most necklaces -

I think it’s such a pretty necklace! I love the look of the little tear drop beads all clustered together.

I hope you like it too!!

Come back tomorrow for Day 2 - we’re going to get all chained up!

Linking up at Sunday Scoop, Today’s Creative Blog, Met Monday, Skip to my Lou, Tutorials & Tips Tuesday, Shabby Creek Cottage, Quilt Story, My Repurposed Life and the other fabulous parties on the party page – make sure you check them out!