DIY | Seashell Necklaces

In this DIY blog post from Smyks.com you will find inspiration and instructions on how to make your own beautiful necklaces with natural seashells and conches. 

Mix your seashells and conches with freshwater pearls, seed beads and other colourful glass beads. 
 

See also the related blog post: Jewellery with Seashells

Necklace with Cowrie Shells

We used the following DIY components to make tis necklace:

• approx. 2m nylon cord, khaki grey, 1.5mm
• 15 cowrie shells
• 1 golden-coloured cowrie shell 
• 1 pendant, large seashell, gold-plated sterling silver
• 3 jumprings, 4mm, gold-plated sterling silver - budget-priced alternative: jumprings, 4mm, gold-plated brass
• 1 cord end, gold-plated sterling silver - budget-priced alternative: clasp set with clasp and chain extender, gold-platded brass
• 1 lobster claw clasp, gold-plated sterling silver - budget-priced alternative: lobster claw clasp, gold-plated steel
• 1 chain extender, gold-plated sterling silver - budget-priced alternative: chain extender, gold-plated steel

+ jewellery glue

Knot a necklace with cowrie shells. You find the instructions in our blog post Jewellery with Seashells.

Fasten the pendant to the necklace with a jumpring.

Glue the knots at the ends of the necklace into the cord ends and fasten a lobster claw clasp to one end with a jumpring and a chain extender to the other end with another jumpring.

Necklace with Millefiori Beads

We used the following DIY components to make tis necklace:

• Millefiori glass beads, 4mm
• silk beading thread, 0.6mm, white
• 2 crimp ends, gold-plated sterling silver - budget-priced alternative: crimp ends, gold-plated brass
• 1 lobster claw clasp, 9mm, gold-plated silver - budget-priced alternative: lobster claw clasp, gold-plated steel
• 2 jumprings, 4mm, gold-plated sterling silver - budget-priced alternative: jumprings, 4mm, gold-plated brass
   

String the beads onto the silk thread and finish the necklasce with a crimp end on each side. (See the pictures in our Danish guide on necklaces with crimp ends.)

Necklace with Cowrie Shells and Sead Beads

We used the following DIY components to make tis necklace:

• 9 cowrie shells
• Miyuki sead beads, 5-colour mix #8
• silk beading thread, 0.6mm, white
• gilded copper wire, 0.4mm
• 2 crimp ends, gold-plated brass
• 1 lobster claw clasp, 9mm, gold-plated steel
• 1 chain extender, gold-plated steel
• 2 jumprings, 4mm, gold-plated brass

+ jewellery pliers, 4-part set
 

First, you shape a loop and make windings with wire around each cowrie shell. (See our guide on loops made with headpins.)

You decide how long you want your necklace to be. When you are done with stringing beads onto the first part and have reached the middle section, you string 1 cowrie shell ... then 5 sead beads.... again 1 cowrie shell .... and so on. 

Finally, you round off each thread end with a crimp end. (See the pictures in our Danish guide on necklaces with crimp ends.)

Necklace with Glass Beads "Lucky Eye"

We used the following DIY components to make tis necklace:

• glass beads with lucky eye, 6x3mm
• silk beading thread, 0.6mm, white
• 2 crimp ends, gold-plated brass
• 1 lobster claw clasp, 9mm, gold-plated steel
• 1 chain extender, gold-plated steel
• 2 jumprings, 4mm, gold-plated brass

+ jewellery pliers, 4-part set

String the beads onto a silk beading thread and roud off the thread ends with crip beads. (See the pictures in our Danish guide on necklaces with crimp ends.)

Necklace with Sead Beads and Freshwater Pearls

We used the following DIY components to make tis necklace:

• Sead beads, size #11, yellow
• Delica beads, size #11, 24-carat gold-plated 
• 5 freshwater pearls, elongated
• 1 spring ring clasp, 9mm, gold-plated steel
• 1 chain extender, gold-plated steel
• silk beading thread, 0.6mm, white
• 2 crimp ends, gold-plated brass
• 2 jumprings, 4mm, gold-plated brass

+ jewellery pliers, 4-part set

First, you string the beads onto a silk beading thread and round off the thread ends with crimp beads. (See the pictures in our Danish guide on necklaces with crimp ends.)

For our example necklace, we threaded gilded Delica beads on either side of the freshwater pearls. 

The necklace is closed with a spring ring clasp at one end and a chain extender at the other end. 

Necklace with Daisy Chain and Cowrie Shell

We used the following DIY components to make tis necklace:

• Delica beads, #11 tropical beach
• 1 cowrie shell, blue
• FireLine 6LB, white
• 2 crimp beads
• 2 closed jumprings, 4mm, gold-plated sterling silver
• 2 open jumprings, 4mm, gold-plated sterling silver
• 1 lobster claw clasp, 9mm, gold-plated sterling silver
• 1 chain extender

+ wide-eye needle
 

Assemble the first half of the daisy chain . See our blog post on the Daisy Chain Stitch technique.

String a few extra beads ... pull the thread through the cowrie shell .... and back through the last bead.

Now you sew the other half of the daisy chain. 

You finish the necklace with a lobster clow clasp and a chain extender.

Necklace with Conches and Sead Beads

We used the following DIY components to make tis necklace:

• 14 small conches, drilled-through
• sead beads, size #8, striped blue/white
• sead beads str. #8, mint
• silk beading thread, 0.6mm, white
• 2 crimp ends, gold-plated brass
• 1 lobster claw clasp, 9mm, gold-plated steel
• 2 jumprings, 4mm, gold-plated brass

+ jewellery pliers, 4-part set

String the beads and conches onto asilk beading thread and round the necklace off with a crimp end on either end. (See the pictures in our Danish guide on necklaces with crimp ends.)

Necklace with Starfish Imprint and Sea Beads

We used the following DIY components to make tis necklace:

•  1 pendant with starfish imprint. This item is discontinued but you may find other nice pendants here.
• seedbeads, size #11, salmon-coloured
• crimp beads, 1.5x1.5mm, gold-plated brass (here used as spacer beads)
• silk beading thread, 0.6mm, white
• 2 crimp ends, gold-plated brass
• 1 spring ring clasp, 9mm, gold-plated steel
• 2 jumprings, 4mm, gold-plated brass

String the beads and conches onto asilk beading thread and round the necklace off with a crimp end on either end. (See the pictures in our Danish guide on necklaces with crimp ends.)

Then you fasten the pendant with a 4mm jumpring...

... and finish the necklace with crimp emds and a spring ring clasp.

Have fun making your own seashell necklaces and remember that you can always ask for help in our shop in Copenhagen.