Are you feeling a little matchy-matchy? This diy turquoise jewelry set is surprisingly easy to make on a lazy weekend morning. It took about an hour and a half to make, and I’ve gotten so many compliments on it that I thought I’d share it. I made this with gold findings so it could be paired with other gold pieces. If you want to make it with silver, that color is such a lovely complement to turquoise.
Turquoise gemstones are said to bring protection, power, and luck to the wearer. Who knows? Maybe that’s true. Wear this modern jewelry set, and let me know if it helps you find your lost car keys and misplaced cell phones. I’ll do the same!
DIY Turquoise Bar Necklace
The bar necklace style kept showing up on fashion websites and friends. I was debating buying one, but it turns out that it’s not so complicated to make. Thank goodness for modern chains! They make necklace making go so much more quickly.
DIY Turquoise Necklace Materials
5 Inches of Turquoise Chip Beads
2 2.5-Inch Pieces of Wire
2 7-Inch Pieces of Chain
2 8-Inch Pieces of Chain
3 Inches of Brass Chain
2 Jump Rings
1 Lobster Clasp
1 Small Charm
Round Nose Jewelry Pliers
Flat Nose Jewelry Pliers
DIY Turquoise Necklace Instructions
To make this turquoise necklace, start in the middle with the necklace focal. Use round-nose jewelry pliers to make a little loop in one of the pieces of gold wire. Use the wires to stand the wire out at a ninety degree angle from the loop. Thread turquoise chip beads on the gold bar until there’s about a third of an inch of space left – enough to make another little loop. Use the round-nose pliers to make another loop to finish off the gold bar. Repeat with the other piece of gold wire. When you’re finished, you should have two 2-inch turquoise chip bars with little loops on either end.
Carefully pry open the loops and slip the 7-inch pieces on either end of one bar, and the 8-inch pieces on either end of the other bar. Join the loose chain ends of one 7-inch and one 8-inch together with a jump ring. Repeat on the other side. Now you should basically have a necklace, minus the clasp.
Loop the lobster clasp on one jump ring. On the other jump ring, attach the 3-inch brass chain. I like to add a light-weight little charm at the end of the brass chain, but this is optional. The weight of the little charm helps to keep the necklace centered, and keeps the brass chain from getting caught on the wrong side of your neck. Plus, it’s cute.
DIY Turquoise Bracelet
This turquoise bracelet diy is similar to the stretch bracelets made in the chakra bracelet diy. One of the main reasons for this diy is that I was looking for another bead texture to wear. I’ve been wearing a bracelet stack of round beads in multiple sizes all spring and summer. Even though I do mix it up with leather or macrame cord pieces, wood versus gemstone beads, the irregular texture of these chip beads is such a nice contrast to the smoothness of a round bead.
DIY Turquoise Bracelet Materials
7 Inches of Turquoise Chip Beads
8 Inches .7mm Stretch Thread
1 Spacer Bead or Bead Cap
A Dab of Jewelry Glue or Clear Nail Polish
DIY Turquoise Bracelet Instructions
This bracelet is the easiest to make! Just thread the beads on the stretch thread. If you want to use a spacer bead to cover the knot, add that before tying off the bracelet. Or, finish with a small gold bead cap over the knot at the end. Tie the bracelet off with a surgeon’s knot. To tie a surgeon’s knot, start the knot at the base of the two loose threads the way you would a double knot. Begin the second round of knots by looping one thread over the other. Then loop them around one more time before pulling the thread taught from all sides. Do this again. Finish off the knot with a dab of jewelry glue or clear nail polish, and trim the ends. Squeeze a bead cap over the knot with a pair of jewelry pliers to hide the knot.
DIY Turquoise Drop Earrings
I love the way spear paddle pins add a little flourish to jewelry. They’re perfect for dramatic effect in drop earrings without making them really heavy. These drop earrings call for spear paddle pins, and round gold beads to punctuate the turquoise chips on either end. When working with small scale like this, choose materials carefully because the slightest change can make a big difference. Three turquoise chips was a good number for me, because stacked together they were roughly as wide as they were high. Try to select rounder or oval chips that have a hole drilled close to the center, to keep the balance of the earring from being thrown off.
DIY Turquoise Drop Earring Materials
6 Pieces of Turquoise Chip
4 Small Round Beads
2 3-Inch Paddle Pins with Spear
2 Hook Earring Findings
Round Nose Jewelry Pliers
Flat Nose Jewelry Pliers
DIY Turquoise Drop Earrings Instructions
Thread 1 small round bead on a spear paddle pin, followed by 3 turquoise chips and another small round bead.
With the round nose pliers, clamp the paddle pin about one-quarter of an inch above the last bead. I like to bend the pin at a 45 degree angle here by clamping the flat nose pliers in that one-quarter inch space and bending the pin with the round nose pliers. Release the flat nose pliers and move them to the other end of the paddle pin bar. Carefully wrap the pin around the round nose plier to make a small loop with the remaining wire sticking out on the other side. Release the round nose pliers and carefully clamp the flat side of the loop with the flat nose pliers. Use the round nose pliers to twist the remaining pin length in a spiral down the quarter-inch length of pin. Almost done!
Ply open the hook earring loop, and hook it in the loop you just made in the paddle pin. Close the hook earring loop. Repeat on the other side.
That’s it! Wear this diy turquoise jewelry set all summer long.
