Petrified Lightning Necklace on Silk Thread

fulgurite2

everything you need, right here.

There’s nothing to be scared of. Making a fulgurite, aka petrified lightning, necklace couldn’t be easier.

All you need are the following supplies:

Silk Thread (comes in various colors)
Fulgurite Lot (the one I found was from an Algerian lightning storm, and purchased on Ebay)
Crimping Pliers
Crimp Tubes (they come in various colors, as shown in gold)
Scissors
A steady hand (i.e. don’t drink a pot of coffee and then try to thread crimp tubes through delicate, silk string)

Directions:

1. Cut and measure your silk thread. I like longer necklaces, but to each their own.

2. Thread piece of fulgurite. You can thread one or multiples. Also feel free to experiment with other beads–brass or gold. Anything that fits your fancy.

3. I made a closure with a simple loop and crimp tubes. You can also use crimp tubes with jump rings and lobster claw closures. For this project, feed one side of the thread through tube, and pull it down the string a bit. Set down.

4. Feed the other side of the thread through a second crimp tube. Feed the end back through the crimp bead, forming a loop. Pull the thread through a bit so you have about a 1/4 inch to trim. This makes it easier to ensure your thread will stay pinched within the tube.

5. Place your pliers around the crimp tube. Squeeze gently but tightly to smash the crimp tube flat. Check to make sure the crimp tube is tightly holding the thread so it won’t pull free. Sometimes you don’t get the perfect crimp. If this happens, just cut it off and start afresh. If you’re prone to errors, give yourself some wiggle room when you first cut the string. You know you best. I tend to mess up at least once.

6. Once you have closed the loop on one side of the necklace, feed the first thread around the loop, creating a second loop. Feed the second end back through the crimp tube, and seal off that loop by squeezing the tube with the pliers. Comme ci:

here we go loop-de-loo.

here we go loop-de-loop.

7. Trim the ends and that’s it. You’ve officially crafted. –Arianna Schioldager

ready-to-wear

with lightning around your neck, you’re ready for anything.

fulgurite with brass beads.

fulgurite with brass beads.

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