Tutorial Tuesday: Evil Eye Talisman

EvilEye-1

Tutorial Tuesday is a blog series where I share a do-it-yourself jewelry tutorial on Soft Flex Company’s blog.

Throughout history, man has made many forms of talismans designed to ward off bad luck and in Turkey, the tailsman is the Nazar Boncuğu (evil eye). I picked up this evil eye pendant at the 2014 Bead&Button show to give to one of my best friends to display in her home. It is said that when an evil eye cracks, it has done its job of protecting you. I gave it to her this weekend. I wasn’t sure if she had one already but, her mom assured me that you cannot have too many!

 

Materials:

Cut a 24″ piece of white string or cord and feed it through the pendant hole evenly. Grab both string pieces, wrap around your finger and tie a tie at the base of the pendant.

Put a dab of glue on the end pieces of the string to stiffen it and make it easier to thread through the dichroic beads. String 1 dichroic bead onto one of the strings and then holding both strings make a knit close to the bead. String 1 dichroic bead onto the opposite strings from the first and then holding both strings make a knit close to the bead. String 1 dichroic bead onto the first string again and then holding both strings make a knit close to the bead.

Put a dab of glue around the knot of the string and cut off excess string. Attach the jumpring to the final knot.

Cut a 10″ strand of black Soft Flex beading wire and feed through the jumpring. Then string 1 large silver spacer bead, 1 Samunnat clay bead and 1 small silver spacer bead. You should have two wire ends coming up from the last spacer bead.

String a 2x2mm crimp tube on each wire end. Loop your wire back through the crimp tubes creating the top loop and crimp. (Note: You just need one crimp to securely make a top loop, I choose to use two for the symmetrical look). Cut off any excess wire. For step by step instructions on how to crimp with the magical crimping pliers, click here.

 

Lastly, using 10″ of colored silk ribbon tie a bow through the jumpring between the string and beading wire to finish it off.