Get set for summer with Brenda Harvey's dyed agate necklace, bracelet and earrings set

What you need...

• BEADS: Pearls, freshwater, peach: 6/7mm; 9/10mm, Gemstone chips, turquoise, Agate slice, aqua, Amazonite chips, large, Bicones
  
  SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS: Beads: 4mm, clear crystal, topaz, light peach, light smoked topaz; 6mm, copper
  
  FINDINGS: Wire, silver-plated, 0.6mm, Charm bracelet, elasticated, silver, Head pins, silver-plated, Chain, silver-plated, Earwires, kidney, Jump rings, silver-plated, 5mm
  
  TOOLS: Pliers: flat-nosed; round-nosed; nylon-jaw, Cutters, wire
  

instructions

1. How To... Make a Bead Drop - Thread your chosen selection of beads onto a head pin. Trim the wire to 1cm above the beads, bend to a 90° angle with round-nosed pliers, then form a loop in the end but do not fully close.

2. Necklace - 1. Cut a 70cm length of 0.6mm silver-plated wire. Curl one end into a small tight coil using nylon-jaw pliers to prevent marking the wire. Place the coiled end roughly in the middle of an agate slice and start to wind the wire around it several times adding a selection of turquoise chips and 4mm bicones so that they all sit on the front of the slice.
   
   2. Bring the wire up to the top of the slice, create an open 1.5cm loop then wrap the wire back around the slice once more. Cut the end of the wire, leaving a length of 8cm. Form another tight coil on this end, again using nylon-jaw pliers. Place one of the jaws of a pair of round-nosed pliers in the loop that you made at the top of the slice and turn a few times until you have created a closed loop. Do not over tighten the wire directly above the slice or it will break.
   
   3. Tuck the ends of the two coils under the nearest section of wrapped wire, as shown, to hold them securely. Cut a 65cm length of silver plated chain and join the ends together with a 5mm silver jump ring. Find the midpoint of the chain and attach the agate slice with a 5mm jump ring to finish.
   

3. Make it yours - Choose agate slices that have uneven edges with lots of indentations as this will make it easier to wrap the wire around them.