Vandyke Necklace

Create a vandyke pattern for your necklace project with these simple steps.

What you need

A ready made single stranded necklace either store bought or make one to fit your neck using the same beads and a clasp.

Instructions

Lay the necklace flat on a table whilst you are working on it and pull your thread nice and firm as you go to avoid gaps. You will find it helpful to try the necklace on as you go also to see how it falls. The necklace above uses Silver, pearl and crystal beads but you can use whatever you like.

1 ) Decide which part of the single stranded will be your center and work out from there by marking each side of the bib (the width) with colored thread.

Thread the needle and pass the new thread (B) through the bead at the right end of the necklace nearest the fastening. Work the first row of loops thus, pick up beads for half the first loop add a drop bead, then a small end bead as shown in diagram 1 then re-thread through the drop bead only then pick up beads to complete the second half of the first loop. Re-thread through a bead on the single strand to fasten the loop in place.

Continue making these loops all the way along the single stranded necklace but leave the drop bead off the center loops (as shown in diagram 2) and complete the first row of loops then fasten off the thread with a double knot.

2) For the second row of loops which is worked on the center portion only (as shown in completed image) fasten in a new thread (C ) to the single stranded necklace. At the left end of the center portion. Re-thread through beads on the adjacent loop emerging at the side of the center bead. Pick up another loopful of beads and re-thread through the center bead of the next loop on the first row.

3) Repeat to complete second row, for the third row re-thread through beads of last loop worked, emerging at the side of the center bead as shown in diagram.

4) Continue working in the same way, one less loop on each row until only one loop remains. Fasten off the thread with a double knot.