Japanese Garden Necklace

How to make the flower section

Take a pack of each of the glass flower selections and sort into 6 piles, including both colours in each pile. Thread one pile on to a reel of gunmetal wire, followed by a large filigree flower.

Thread on the second pile followed by a large golden crystal flower. Continue in this way until you have added all your beads to the reel of wire.

Twist the end of wire so the beads don’t fall off. Working back towards the reel, pinch a small flower bead and twist the wire to make a stalk approx. 3cm long.

Repeat step 3 doubling up the small flowers on some stalks. Continue until all beads are twisted on to wire stalks. About 25-30cm from the end, bend the wire and bring it back on itself. Twist so the wire fixes together.

Keep folding the wire and twisting together until you have one piece of thick, twisted, beaded wire approx. 25-30cm long. Position your stalks as you wish to get the beads in the right places.

Putting the wire section to one side, create a kumihimo braid using a warm neutral rattail cord set. (To learn how to do the braid please scroll down). One set should create about the right length of braid on a simple 8 warp braid.

Whip the ends of the braid to secure. I used nymo thread and stitched it in to the braid as well as wrapping around for extra security. Trim the ends of cord just above the whip.

Glue an end cap from your findings kit on to each braid end so it covers the whips. Use the oval rings to attach a toggle clasp once the glue is dry.

Take your wire section and intertwine with your wire section. Twist some of the small flowers from each end up the edges of the braid.

How to make an 8 warp Kumihimo braid:

You will need a braiding board with notches to place your thread. Each cord placed into a single notch on the board is known as a ‘warp’.

Take the 4 coloured cords in the warm neutrals rattail set. Holding all 4 together, fold in the middle of the cords and knot together, creating 8 ends.

Place the knot through the hole in the centre of the braiding board. Spread the cords, placing the colours in the notches of the braiding board. You should follow the pattern of colours illustrated on the tag of your warm neutrals rattail pack, placing a ‘warp’ either side of each dot on the board,

Turn the braiding board over and wrap each cord into its own no-tangle bobbin. You may want to add a weight to the knot to help your braid pull downwards as you work.

You should have a warp either side of dot 32. Rotate the board so you are holding this dot at the top. Take the warp from the notch to the left of dot 16 (at the bottom) and move it straight upwards to the notch to the left of the two warps at the top. You will now have 3 warps at the top and one at the bottom.

Now take the warp furthest right at the top and bring it down to the right of the remaining bottom warp.

Turn the braiding board 90 degrees counter-clockwise and repeat the same process, moving the bottom left warp to the top left, and the top right warp to the bottom right. Repeat until you get to the end of your cords.

Remove cords from the notches and knot together so the braid doesn’t unravel. Now whip the ends to secure. Wrap the nymo thread tightly around the braid just below the knot, and sew through the braid a couple of times to make sure it is securely fastened. When you are happy that you have secured the braid; take some sharp scissors and cut off the knot close to the whip