Jun 27, 2013

How to make Baltic amber teething necklace?

I get many question on Etsy about how to make teething necklace, how to fix clasps and so on.
This is blog entry about which i was thinking for almost 3 years, but somehow always had "more important" things to do. But now decided to do it :)

I am sorry for photo quality, it is evening here, and I though it is better like this, than no photos at all. To make it one step harder decided to make centered necklace with tiny pendant.
So what do we need for teething necklace?
1. Beads (Beads in my shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/amber4you?section_id=6976664)
2. Thread  (Thread in my shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/amber4you?section_id=10378317)
3. Clasp (Screw clasps in my shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/amber4you?section_id=10378317)
4. Paraphin or bees wax candle (soy wax is not too good here)
5. Scissors

 Light up a candle and wait until wax melts. Dip a thread in to it. I prefer to harden ~0.7" of thread, but experiment and choose your length. While wax is melted, roll thread between your fingers to get rid of access wax and to make waxed thread as thin as possible, because it might be too thick to get through bead or clasp.
 Put one side of clasp on thread. I prefer to put it so, that screw part would face end of thread. I suggest to check if both sides of clasp will have big enough holes that thread could go through. Clasps are factory made, but holes in them differs.
Make double knot (one knot upon other knot).
Cut extra thread, leaving around 1-1.5mm (~0.05") of thread, that it would not untie easily.
 Harden knot. You might do it with nail polish, special glue or wax. I prefer wax.
 Fix knot inside of clasp by pulling thread from other side. I prefer to screw in that white screw part, to check how it looks, to press knot in to place and to check if it will not untied inside of clasp. Cut generous amount of thread. It usually  needs  0.8 yd - 1.1 yd for 12"-13" knotted necklace.
 As I am making necklace with pendant, I need to divide beads in to 2 groups - one side and other. Also some beads should be left as extra beads, because it is possible to brake them, there might be a need to use few beads more on one side than on other and so on.
 You might place a knot between clasp and first bead, this time i did not do this. Harden other side of thread as the first one. You might have to repeat this several times, because hardened end gets soft when gets some pressure (for example when placing bead with some force). Place a bead.
 Start knotting.
I mostly use thick thread which hardly goes through holes, so i need just 1 knot between beads. That saves a lot of work but sometimes creates trouble, because some beads somehow manage to get smaller holes than others and thread does not go through them. I leave such beads and knot another necklace with thinner thread and with smaller holes in clasp and beads.
 When knotting, I have noticed, that i needed longer necklace than i have beads, so adder 4 rice shaped beads in to necklace - this is how creativity gets in to this world :)
Then checking how many beads should be added to second side to make pendant in the middle
 It looks it is enough.
And here it comes - most important and most difficult (at least for me) part in whole necklace making process - placing second part of clasp.
Put a clasp that it would face end of thread with screw-in part.
 Make a knot, and  when finishing it, slide it as deep as you can in to clasp. This is not necessary, but i find it to become more secured.
 You may use nail polish, special glue or liquid glue as i use this time. Get ready white screw part, because you will have to act quickly after placing glue inside. Hold 2 last beads and clasp firmly, that clasp would stand so as you wish it to see at the end. Place tiny drop of glue inside of clasp. Screw in white part. If there will be too much glue it will get out of clasp, one possible way to solve this is to glue on last bead to clasp. If you leave thread with glue, it might brake, because it will become as plastic in width of thread.. Also if you place too much glue, clasp might crack or brake. If you will place too little glue, thread will get out and you will have "broken" necklace.
If you will do this part wrong you will possibly have to remake necklace from 0, or if you will be making necklace without centered pieces, you may simply remove last bead or two, loosen up some thread, harden it, place a new clasp (one with glue inside is not usable any more) and do next steps.
 After placing white part inside you'll see, that thread inside took some place, and white part does not fit so well as before - it's normal.
 When glue hardens, place another side, to check how much of spare white part you have.
 Cut with scissors or nail clippers some of white screw in part.
 Check how they match together.
 Thats all! :) Necklace is already made!
 All designs and ideas are up to you. You may mix various colors, stones (for example turqouise), hazelnut wood beads - those are healing materials from nature too!
And if you think this is too much trouble to make one, you always can find already made teething necklaces for sale :)
Check up my shop for Baltic amber baby teething necklaces:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/amber4you?section_id=10413188

If you have any questions - do not hesitate to ask!. I will answer faster on Etsy than here :)

P.S. I am sorry for mistakes - English is not my native language.