How to Restring a Necklace
If necessary, clean your beads., Get all your supplies together., Take apart your necklace., String the beads, working off the spool., Attach the clasp., Alternatively, try a knotting method., Finish the other end of your necklace.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: If necessary
If the necklace you're restringing has been through some wear and tear (which is likely why it broke), it's likely that the beads could use some love.
Oils from your body or cosmetics (or even just time) can dull any bead and make it look less than glamorous.
Buy a jewelry cleaner and use a child's toothbrush to start – the gentler, the better.
You never know which beads aren't going to take to cleaning, so it's best to play it safe in the beginning.
Glass and crystal should do fine, but simulated pearls and plastics could be another story.
Always do one single bead before you go cleaning the entire lot to make sure the method you're using is safe. -
Step 2: clean your beads.
It's best to do this in one afternoon so the beads don't end up magically rolling away from you.
Here's everything you'll need:
Stringing material and clasp.
Nylon coated cable beading strands are best for most any project.
They're widely available at craft stores and come on spools in different weights, strengths and colors.
Don't be tempted to use thread – it'll likely fray and break, leading you back to this article in the future.
Chainnose pliers and cutters.
If you don't already have a suitable pair of pliers, it's wise to obtain a jewelry repair kit.
They'll also come with a crimping tool, which is doubly helpful for sealing off your strands.
Bead tips.
These are the beads that are used on the end that attach to a clasp on either end.
They have a "clam shell" or "cup" on the sides.
Crimp beads.
These are soft metal beads with large holes.
They can be mashed against the stringing material to hold it in place.
Glass seed beads.
These can be used as spaces if you need a longer necklace.
They come in so many varieties you should be able to match your other beads.
A beading board, mat, or towel for a work surface.
A beading board has a whole bunch of groves to keep your beads in place.
If you don't have one of these, a towel can also be useful to keep the beads from running off.
Avoid working on wood or tile at all costs. , Don't bother trying to keep the beads on their original string.
There likely won't be space enough for both strings and it'll be harder to work with, so just take them off.
Set them on your surface and slide out the string so they stay in order.
You probably have bead tips on the ends of your necklace – the ones that are attached to your clasps.
You can take your pliers and open up the loop on those beads to get them off the clasp and get every piece free.
If you have multiple strands you're dealing with, just work on one strand at a time.
If you unstring all your strands, that's just creating a recipe for disaster. , For strong bead cord, you don't need a needle.
It'll slide through the bead holes on its own.
Simply slide the beads on the cord one by one, still working off the spool.
That way if you need more length, it's hardly a problem.
Just be careful not to put any tension on the string; even though it's brand new, it could still warp.
When you're finished putting the beads back on, take a look at it.
Are all the beads in their pattern correct? Is it long or short enough? If for some reason you can't work off the spool, get a length of bead cord that's about six inches (15 cm) longer than you think you need.
Tie a knot at one end and secure it with craft glue.
Then you can go about stringing on your beads (just remember to start with a bead tip)., Once all your beads are on, string on a crimp bead, a bead tip, and a seed bead.
Here's where it starts to take know-how:
Pass your cord back through the hole in the bead tip, leaving the seed bead to catch on the inside, and pass back through the crimp bead.
Place the seed bead snugly inside the bead tip and place the crimp bead up against the bead tip.
Mash the crimp bead against the stringing material with your pliers.
To make sure it all stays in place, use a drop of craft glue or nail polish inside the bead tip before closing it over the seed bead.
Then, slide a bead over the free tail of your bead cord, then clip the string close to the bead so the tail is tucked inside. , If that all sounded like gobbledegook, you can try simply tying a knot in the end of your cord, as close to the bead tip as you can.
Then, secure this with craft glue.
Cut off the extra cord so the knot can hide in your bead tip.
Then, you can slide your clasp onto the bead tip hook.
Use your pliers to close the hook so the clasp can't slide off. , If you're working from a spool, cut the cord free, leaving about two extra inches (5 cm).
Hold each end in your hands so the beads settle and the cord lays naturally.
Repeat the same method on this end as you did with the first clasp.
If you're using clam-shell type bead tips, make sure to close them over the seed beads and to use your pliers to close the hook. -
Step 3: Get all your supplies together.
-
Step 4: Take apart your necklace.
-
Step 5: String the beads
-
Step 6: working off the spool.
-
Step 7: Attach the clasp.
-
Step 8: Alternatively
-
Step 9: try a knotting method.
-
Step 10: Finish the other end of your necklace.
Detailed Guide
If the necklace you're restringing has been through some wear and tear (which is likely why it broke), it's likely that the beads could use some love.
Oils from your body or cosmetics (or even just time) can dull any bead and make it look less than glamorous.
Buy a jewelry cleaner and use a child's toothbrush to start – the gentler, the better.
You never know which beads aren't going to take to cleaning, so it's best to play it safe in the beginning.
Glass and crystal should do fine, but simulated pearls and plastics could be another story.
Always do one single bead before you go cleaning the entire lot to make sure the method you're using is safe.
It's best to do this in one afternoon so the beads don't end up magically rolling away from you.
Here's everything you'll need:
Stringing material and clasp.
Nylon coated cable beading strands are best for most any project.
They're widely available at craft stores and come on spools in different weights, strengths and colors.
Don't be tempted to use thread – it'll likely fray and break, leading you back to this article in the future.
Chainnose pliers and cutters.
If you don't already have a suitable pair of pliers, it's wise to obtain a jewelry repair kit.
They'll also come with a crimping tool, which is doubly helpful for sealing off your strands.
Bead tips.
These are the beads that are used on the end that attach to a clasp on either end.
They have a "clam shell" or "cup" on the sides.
Crimp beads.
These are soft metal beads with large holes.
They can be mashed against the stringing material to hold it in place.
Glass seed beads.
These can be used as spaces if you need a longer necklace.
They come in so many varieties you should be able to match your other beads.
A beading board, mat, or towel for a work surface.
A beading board has a whole bunch of groves to keep your beads in place.
If you don't have one of these, a towel can also be useful to keep the beads from running off.
Avoid working on wood or tile at all costs. , Don't bother trying to keep the beads on their original string.
There likely won't be space enough for both strings and it'll be harder to work with, so just take them off.
Set them on your surface and slide out the string so they stay in order.
You probably have bead tips on the ends of your necklace – the ones that are attached to your clasps.
You can take your pliers and open up the loop on those beads to get them off the clasp and get every piece free.
If you have multiple strands you're dealing with, just work on one strand at a time.
If you unstring all your strands, that's just creating a recipe for disaster. , For strong bead cord, you don't need a needle.
It'll slide through the bead holes on its own.
Simply slide the beads on the cord one by one, still working off the spool.
That way if you need more length, it's hardly a problem.
Just be careful not to put any tension on the string; even though it's brand new, it could still warp.
When you're finished putting the beads back on, take a look at it.
Are all the beads in their pattern correct? Is it long or short enough? If for some reason you can't work off the spool, get a length of bead cord that's about six inches (15 cm) longer than you think you need.
Tie a knot at one end and secure it with craft glue.
Then you can go about stringing on your beads (just remember to start with a bead tip)., Once all your beads are on, string on a crimp bead, a bead tip, and a seed bead.
Here's where it starts to take know-how:
Pass your cord back through the hole in the bead tip, leaving the seed bead to catch on the inside, and pass back through the crimp bead.
Place the seed bead snugly inside the bead tip and place the crimp bead up against the bead tip.
Mash the crimp bead against the stringing material with your pliers.
To make sure it all stays in place, use a drop of craft glue or nail polish inside the bead tip before closing it over the seed bead.
Then, slide a bead over the free tail of your bead cord, then clip the string close to the bead so the tail is tucked inside. , If that all sounded like gobbledegook, you can try simply tying a knot in the end of your cord, as close to the bead tip as you can.
Then, secure this with craft glue.
Cut off the extra cord so the knot can hide in your bead tip.
Then, you can slide your clasp onto the bead tip hook.
Use your pliers to close the hook so the clasp can't slide off. , If you're working from a spool, cut the cord free, leaving about two extra inches (5 cm).
Hold each end in your hands so the beads settle and the cord lays naturally.
Repeat the same method on this end as you did with the first clasp.
If you're using clam-shell type bead tips, make sure to close them over the seed beads and to use your pliers to close the hook.
About the Author
Jacqueline Webb
Specializes in breaking down complex hobbies topics into simple steps.
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