Bib-Style Necklace and Earring Set with Sterling Silver Drops, Silver-Plated Brass Charms and Leather

Using one of eight 18x18mm sterling silver flat hexagon drops as a template, trace eleven hexagon shapes onto the leather bracelets with a permanent marker. Use Lindstrom® shears to cut out the hexagon leather blanks from the bracelets.

Use a permanent marker to create points on the following numbers of adjacent corners on the leather hexagon blanks and the sterling silver flat hexagon drops: six sterling silver flat hexagon drops with five points, two sterling silver flat hexagon drops with four points (leaving the far right corner with no point), two leather blanks with three points, three leather blanks with four points and six leather blanks with five points.

On the top side of the two sterling silver flat hexagon drops with four points, create two more points toward the center approximately 2mm apart.

Using a pair of EUROTOOL® hole punch pliers, punch a hole at each marked point on the leather hexagon blanks and the sterling silver flat hexagon drops.

Tip: When punching holes, hold the pliers upside-down so you can see the point in the hole in the pliers. This will allow you to punch the hole accurately and minimize marring.

Using a marker, draw a straight line to connect the two holes on the left and the two holes on the right of the top side on the two sterling silver flat hexagon drops with five holes. Using the marker, refine each set of holes into rectangle shapes measuring approximately 1x4mm, large enough for the deerskin leather cord.

Using a jeweler's saw, cut along the rectangle shapes. Use a needle file to remove any burrs. Take care not to scuff the mirror finish of the sterling silver.

Using scissors cut four 8-1/2 inch lengths of deerskin leather cord.

Using flush-cutters cut two 3-1/2 inch lengths of sterling silver 24-gauge wire.

Pass one piece of deerskin leather cord through one rectangle-shaped hole in one sterling silver flat hexagon drop. Fold the end of the leather cord over onto itself creating a loop. Pass the tip of a beading awl through the layers of deerskin leather cord where it overlaps. Place a sterling silver 4mm brad through the holes. Repeat to attach a length of deerskin leather cord to each rectangle hole in the two sterling silver flat hexagon drops.

Using flush-cutters trim each brad to approximately 2mm above the deerskin leather cord surface. Using a chasing hammer on a steel block, flatten the tip of the brad flat against the surface of the leather cord creating a rivet to secure the loop. Repeat to create a total of four rivets.

Using a pair of chain-nose and bent-nose pliers, open ninety-seven sterling silver 4mm jumprings and five sterling silver-filled 5mm jumprings.

Attach one 4mm sterling silver jumpring to each hole on the eleven hexagon leather blanks and the eight sterling silver flat hexagon drops.

Using 4mm sterling silver jumprings connect one hexagon leather blank with three holes to the left side of one sterling silver flat hexagon drop from Step 5.

Note: Any undrilled sides of the hexagon leather blanks should face toward the outer edges of the necklace.

Connect the following components using 4mm sterling silver jumprings, to the bottom of the previous component beginning with the sterling silver flat hexagon drop from Step 9: one sterling silver flat hexagon drop with six holes, one hexagon leather blank with five holes, one hexagon leather blank with four holes.

Continue to connect one hexagon leather blank with five holes to the right side of the previous hexagon leather blank with five holes from Step 10. Connect one sterling silver flat hexagon drop with six holes and one hexagon leather blank with five holes to the bottom of the previous component and right side of the connected components from Step 10.

Continue to connect one sterling silver flat hexagon drop with six holes to the bottom right side of the first hexagon leather blank with five holes listed in Step 11. Connect a second sterling silver flat hexagon drop with six holes and one hexagon leather blank with four holes to the bottom of the previous component and right side of the connected components from Step 11.

Repeat Steps 9 - 11 attaching the components on the left side of the necklace, in a mirror image, to create the second half of the necklace. Using 4mm sterling silver jumprings attach the second half of the necklace to the right side of the components from Step 12.

Using flush-cutters trim the loop off of one bee charm and create a small cut, approximately 1/4 inch, into the center of the hexagon leather blank with five holes from Step 10. Apply a small amount of E-6000® Jewelry and Craft adhesive in the cut area on the leather blank and to the back of the bee charm and press together. Repeat to attach a bee charm to the hexagon leather blank with five holes, opposite the last hexagon leather blank from Step 11.

Connect three sterling silver 12mm square wire rings using two 5mm jumprings between each ring creating an extender chain. Attach one end of the extender chain to one silver-plated bee charm using one 5mm jumpring.

Trim the ends of the deerskin leather cord so they are even. Pass the opposite ends of two lengths of deerskin leather cord on one sterling silver flat hexagon drop through the opposite end of the extender chain. Fold the ends of the leather cord over onto themselves creating a loop. Apply a small amount of E-6000 to the inside where the cords overlap and allow to dry according to manufacturer’s instructions. Wrap one 3-1/2 inch length of 24-gauge wire neatly around both lengths of deerskin leather cord beginning approximately 6mm from the end of the loop; trim off excess wire.

Repeat to attach the two lengths of deerskin leather cord on the second sterling silver flat hexagon drop to one sterling silver 12mm square wire ring. Attach one sterling silver-filled lobster clasp to the sterling silver 12mm square wire ring.