Photo Tutorial Boxed Pony Bead Collar

Author's Note
Our projects were very popular during the lifetime of our business and we wanted to ensure they continued to provide inspiration for chain maillers whatever their experience. It's a pleasure to see they will live on with Chainmaillers.com
-Sarah Austin

Boxed Pony Bead Collar​

A statement box weave necklace that has a natural curve. Joining the box weave drops with a contrasting colour gives the box weave its definition.



Materials
For a 48cm (19 inch) necklace, you will need:

• 15 black Czech glass pony beads - 9mm (9py2398)
• 258 small silver anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 4.3mm, WD 1.00mm - A
• 97 small black anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 4.3mm, WD 1.00mm - B
• 18 medium black anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 5.2mm, WD 1.00mm - C
• 16 large silver anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 7.8mm, WD 1.2mm - D
• 12mm silver plated lobster clasp

Tools:

• two pairs of smooth jawed chain nose, flat nose, or bent nose pliers

Instructions​

1. Begin by making the pony bead chain using fifteen 9mm pony beads and sixteen large rings D. Open sixteen large rings D.
   
   Link link one ring D to one pony bead (left hand picture).
   
   Weave a second ring D to the first pony bead and add another pony bead. Close the ring (centre picture).
   
   Repeat the previous step until you have joined fifteen pony beads to the chain. Link one ring D to the last pony bead added. The pony bead chain should now have one ring D at each end of the chain.
   
   
   
   
   
2. In steps 2-4 you will make the box weave drops using small silver rings A.
   
   Close two rings A and link to the second ring D of the pony bead chain using two rings A (left hand picture).
   
   Fold back the last pair of rings so that they lay on either of the chain (centre picture).
   
   Move apart the two rings A that are attached to the pony bead chain (right hand picture).
   
   
   
   
   
3. The first two pictures show the weaving ring in red for clarity.
   
   Close two rings A. Weave one ring A to the folded back rings and between the moved apart rings from the previous step. Add the two closed rings before closing the ring you have woven (left hand picture).
   
   Weave a second ring following the same pathway, as shown in the centre picture.
   
   The right hand picture shows the finished chain with silver and not red rings.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Close two rings A. Repeat step 3. The loose rings at the bottom of the box weave drop will be folded back and linked in step 6.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Repeat steps 2-4 to make a box weave drops from each of the rings D that are attached to two pony beads.The end rings D do not have box weave drops hanging from them (refer to the main picture above or the picture accompanying step 9).
   
   
   
   
   
6. Starting at the beginning of the chain, fold back the last pair of rings of the first two box weave drops (left hand picture).
   
   Using one small black ring B, link the lower two side rings of each box weave drop as shown in the centre picture. Repeat with a second small black ring B.
   
   The next ring added is shown in red for clarity. Weave one small black ring B between the two small black rings B just added and the lowest side ring of each box weave (right hand picture).
   
   
   
   
   
7. Using medium black rings C, repeat step 6 to join the second and third box weave drops.
   
   
   
   
   
8. Join the remaining box weave drops, alternating the size of the black rings B and C as in steps 6 and 7.
   
   
9. You will now stabilise the edge of the first and last box weave drops using four small silver rings A each time. Link the two lower side rings of the edge box weave drop (left hand picture).
   
   Link the second and third side rings so that the ring lays on top of the ring just added (centre picture).
   
   Link the last ring added to the end ring D of the pony bead chain using two small silver rings A (right hand picture).
   
   Repeat on the other end of the pony bead chain.
   
   
   
   
   
10. You have now finished the curved box weave bib of the necklace.
    
    
    
    
    
11. Make the 2-in-2 chain from which you will hang the bib necklace. Close 38 small silver rings A and open 38 small black rings B.
    
    Link two small black rings B to two small closed silver rings A (left hand picture).
    
    Using two small black rings B, link two more small closed silver rings A to the last two small silver rings A (centre picture).
    
    Repeat until you have used all the opened and closed rings or until the chain is the required length (right hand picture).
    
    Make a second chain the same length.
    
    
    
    
    
12. Using two small silver rings A, join the end two black rings of one chain to the end ring D of the pony bead chain. Repeat at the other end of the pony bead chain.
    
    
    
    
    
13. Join the lobster clasp to one end of the chain using one small silver ring A. Link one small ring A to the other end of the chain onto which you can clip the lobster clasp.
    
    

Variations​

• Use different coloured joining rings such as the rainbow colours or shades of one colour, or use a single colour such as red.
• Use gold or champagne rings instead of the silver.
• Try matt silver rings with white opal pony beads, joining with pastel coloured rings.

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©2021 Sarah Austin. All rights reserved.