(Components list at bottom of page)

by: Dwyn Tomlinson

For this year, at Tucson, we were very pleased to be one of the sponsors for the Swarovski Sparkling Make and Take - a fund-raiser for the local YWCA.

This entailed designing a project featuring Swarovski crystals (such a hardship!), - something that could be made by a complete novice in under an hour - rather more of a challenge - getting the ok from Swarovski, purchasing all the components (ok - seriously - why is it every single time I design a kit - a key element has been discontinued???? Hmmmm?), assembling said kits, and shipping them ahead.

I think there was some criteria about a price limit too - but as we were donating everything (along with John Bead - our co-sponsor) - we just ignored that.

The end result was this series of Crystal Explosion pendants. We got a tonne of great feedback about these - everyone seemed to adore them - so we are publishing them here for you. We actually do expect to get some kits put together again, but here is the component list, and the instructions.

And seriously - you can make it in under an hour. You need to review the "rapid loops" technique - which I pretty much had to invent in order to make all the samples to be shipped to Swarovski the next day. Necessity is the mother of invention all right.

To make.

Divide your headpins into two equal piles of 25.

Take half of the headpins, and thread 2 beads on each.

Then do the same to the other pile of headpins, except make those with 3 beads.

Left over beads can be added so that you have some headpins with 4 beads. And you should shorten a couple to just 1 bead.

Now do the Rapid Loops for all them - giving you 50 dangles of varying lengths. Trim the wire ends.

Use the Artistic Wire to create a wrapped loop for the Rock Pendant.

Thread the Rock Pendant onto the Softflex, and then string the dangles on both sides, in random order, but putting the ones with the daisy spacers closest to the center. (The photo that illustrates this shows the prototype project with sterling headpins - a nice look too - but we were trying not to break the bank.)

When they are all strung on, tie the two ends of the Softflex together, so you are knotting the strand into a big circle. Add the hammered link and knot again inside the link. So you have a circle of the Softflex, with all the beads on it, with the pendant on the bottom, and opposite that, there is a knot, and the link, and then knot inside the link.

Then, using the link, hang on a chain, necklace, silk rattail, what have you. We used the silk rattail.

That's it! Crystal Explosion!

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Components Clicking on components links will open a new window so that you don't lose this page.
		74702001-05 Craft Wire - 24ga - Silver Plated (Tarnish Resistant) (Artistic Wire) (4 inches)	Price: $ 12.85 per	In Stock
	Qty: 1	tc94-3088-61 Findings - Link - Hammered Flat Oval Ring - Bright Rhodium (1)	Price: $ 1.30 per	Sorry - this item is unavailable.
	Qty: 50	22601030 Headpins - 2in / 24ga - Flat Head - Rhodium Plated (100)	Price: $ 3.23 per	In Stock
		25001002 Softflex (tm) Beading Wire - 30ft .019 (Medium) - Silver Grey (Spool) (6 inches)	Price: $ 28.30 per	In Stock
	Qty: 36	27753011273209 Swarovski Bead - 4mm Faceted Bicone (5301/5328) - Rose (36)	Price: $ 7.05 per	Sorry - this item is unavailable.
	Qty: 36	27753011519248 Swarovski Bead - 4mm Faceted Bicone (5301/5328) - Sun AB2 (36)	Price: $ 7.63 per	Sorry - this item is unavailable.
	Qty: 5	27750001751502 Swarovski Bead - 6mm Faceted Round (5000) - Fuchsia	Price: $ 0.77 per	Sorry - this item is unavailable.
	Qty: 10	27750001681209 Swarovski Bead - 6mm Faceted Round (5000) - Rose	Price: $ 0.77 per	Sorry - this item is unavailable.
	Qty: 50	27750001750395 Swarovski Bead - 6mm Faceted Round (5000) - Rose Water Opal	Price: $ 0.65 per	Sorry - this item is unavailable.
	Qty: 1	34761901035204 Swarovski Pendant - 23mm Rock (6190) - Amethyst	Price: $ 7.55 per	Sorry - this item is unavailable.