Multi Cabochon Necklace - Jewellery Making Tutorial

First we need to bezel the 5 cabochons. On 1.5m of thread, leaning a 15cm tail, begin by threading an even number of size 11 seed beads. They must fit perfectly around the cabochon. Go through them again to form a circle, then pass through the first few again.

Work 4 rows of peyote stitch in the same size 11s. To do this, pick up a bead, miss the bead following the exiting thread and insert the needle into the next seed bead. This will push the seed bead in your initial circle over a bit.

Continue around the whole circle this way, adding a bead and inserting your needle into every other bead. When you arrive at the first bead added in this round, pass through it to begin to form the next row. In exactly the same way add a bead into each gap, like the teeth of a zip closing.

Continue in this way until you have added 4 rows of beads. I find it helps to put 2 fingers inside the ring of beads forcing them outwards. It keeps your work from twisting.

Now we are going to add 2 rows of size 15 Seed Beads in exactly the same way. Because the 15's are smaller your work will begin to be pulled inwards to form a lip to hold your cabochon in place.

Add a row of size 15 Seed Beads in a different colour to finish off your work neatly.

To work on the other side of your piece, pass the needle diagonally upwards through all the previous rows until it exits out of the first ring of beads

Place the cabochon into the seed bead case. As we measured the first row of beads around the cabochon carefully, it should fit snugly inside the work.

Repeat steps 5 and 6 keeping the cabochon tucked neatly inside your work.

Repeat this process until all 5 cabochons are bezelled. Please note, if you are new to this technique, I would recommend watching the video titled : "How to Bezel a Teardrop Cabochon." by Sara Millsop before you begin.

With as long a thread as you can work with comfortably, and beginning at the point of one of the tear drops, count back to the 2nd row of 11s added after the initial ring of beads. Insert the needle into the size 11 to the left of the point. Pick up a 3mm pearl (or crystal, whichever you prefer) and pass the needle through the next size 11 in the same row.

The pearl should sit nicely in the gap between the size 11s.

Keeping to this sequence, continue around the work until 19 pearls have been added.

Next, we're joining a round cabochon to the tear drop. Keeping the top row of pearls on the tear drop somewhat level with the round cabochon, thread a pearl and insert the needle into the 2nd row of size 11s in the round cabochon and pull the two pieces together.

As previously, add 10 more pearls in the same way along the bottom of the round cabochon. Then add a "joining" pearl.

Next, we're going to add the central, oval cabochon. Position it so that the "joining" pearl we've just added is fairly central to one side. If it is placed differently than mine, it doesn't matter, as long as the final piece looks symmetrical when finished. Continue by adding 14 pearls between the seed beads on the 2nd row around the base of the oval cabochon. Then a loose "joining" pearl.

Now, we're going to continue, as previously, to add the pearls below the following round cabochon. Add a loose "joining" pearl, then working all around the tear drop making sure the work looks symmetrical. You may need to begin working by eye rather than counting specific amounts of pearls. Stick with whatever looks right.

Now we're back at the top it will start to get a little easier (as up until now, it's a bit difficult to hold everything together!) Pick up a loose "joining" pearl and thread through a 2nd row size 11 at the top of the round cabochon so that the two pieces sit nicely together. Work over the top of the round cabochon until where it meets the central one.

Pick up and position a rondelle so that the work sits flat and neatly.

Place two pearls at the top on the central cabochon, then pick up a rondelle.

Continuing as previously, continue around the top of the round cabochon and the first tear drop.

Now we have fully surrounded our cabochons with pearls and attached them together. The piece is currently a bit flimsy, so, we are going to go completely around the piece again sewing through all of the pearls and rondelles. This both strengthens the work and makes the pearls all sit straight. Insert size 15 seed beads between any bigger gaps in the pearls in your piece, mainly at the top and bottom of the oval.

The piece is now much stronger and more secure, it still has some movement so it could, at this point be made into a bracelet if you'd prefer.

We are now going to embellish each of the cabochons. For this, on each component we are going to follow the 1st added row of 11's on each piece. Add a size 11 of the alternate colour (in the same way we added the pearls) in the spaces between the seed beads on the 1st row. This row of seed beads will sit nicely between the pearls.

To strengthen your piece, sew through the embellishment seed beads where they meet. Like the teeth of a zip.

At either end, on the reverse of your piece. Pick up 8 size 11 seed beads and sew through the rear of your work to form 2 loops. Sew through the loops 3 times for strength.

Finish off any loose threads on your work.

Finish your necklace by adding a chain or ribbon (whichever you prefer) to the seed bead loops on the reverse.