DIY Oyster Shell Necklace (perfect Gift Idea)

When I moved here to South Carolina I discovered oyster shells. They were everywhere. I started collecting them from the seashores and rivers surrounding our area. The next time you want to make something creative try this oyster shell necklace. It’s pretty easy to make.

Here is my first oyster shell project. If you like to make one a candle holder like this. How To Make A Oyster Shell Candle Holder

Oyster shells are the hard exoskeleton of a variety of mollusks that are in the family Ostreoidea. Most oysters live in saltwater or brackish environments. Their shells tend to contain high levels of calcium carbonate.

My mom would make oysters stew and I never liked it when I was small. I grew to love it later on in life. It turns out that I am allergic to oysters. It didn’t start until I moved to the Lowcountry here in Coastal South Carolina. I started eating oysters and got a bad rash each time. I was bummed because I loved them. At least I can make these pretty crafts which is the next best thing.

• It is easy to make.

• They make your wardrobe look beautiful.

• The oyster shell is natural and lovely to look at.

• A great gift idea for any occasion.

• Oyster shells: You can find a bag full at Amazon

• Polished hemp, lining or jewelry wire. You can use the thinner hemp as long as they fit through the hole of bead and oyster shell.

• Beads: I used a 8mm Jade green color bead, you can use any color.

• Big eye beading needle: You need these needles to pull the beads through.

• Toggle clasps: This what hold together the necklace so you can wear it. This part is important the clasp and bead must to be tight and knotted well.

When I started making necklaces I realized there are so many kinds of beads. The best kind of beads to use for this particular necklace is one that has a hole big enough to use with threading product such as hemp, line or wire. What you want to is large hole beads with hole size of 2 to 3mm and the bead can be 8mm size 20mm. I used a 8 mm size bead and the hole size was 2mm. These beads are multi color green. They are sort of a Jade stone.

1. With a old tooth brush clean the oyster shells with one cup of apple cider and one cup of water.
2. Drill a hole with a Dremel in the oyster shell. Make sure you use something hard like old piece of wood underneath the shell.

3. With an artist brush. Paint thin edge of gold leaf paint around the the oyster shell.

4. Now you can start threading the first bead which is small with a big eye needle. You will only need one small bead the size of 4mm.

5. Take a small bead and thread it through the hole of the bead. Take it through the hole of the oyster shell. Make sure hole is covered. Pull both ends of thread through the hole. Tie a note at the end of the hole in the back. (You will be pulling through the rest of the beads after this stage.)

6. After you have beaded that one bead. You are now ready to pull 30 beads on each side of the wire using the big eye needle. I recommend using two eye needles one each end of the thread instead of using just one because a hassle to keep taking it off.

It should look like this after you are done. I used a heavy duty jewelry thread. But like it said earlier in the supplies section you can use help, line or wire.

7. Next you will be adding the clasps. I used a toggle clasps. This part you will also need the big eye needle. Thread the needle with the clasps. Keep the bead close to the clasp and with the needle go through the bead a few times and tie knot between clasp and bead and hide string inside bead.

I love the toggles clasps I think they are the easiest to use.

Types of Clasps That Can Be used For Oyster Shell Necklace

There are man types of clasps you can use for necklaces. It all depends on the beading string or line you use. Most of them can be used with the jewelry line or wire. When using the hemp the thinner hemp can be used for most of these. The heavy hemp not so. You usually don’t use any clasps for heavy hemp.

Spring Ring has metal ring with a simple spring mechanism. Lobster Clasp has spring-loaded and self-closing clasp. Barrel Clasp this clasp is made from two metal pieces that screw together to close and look like a barrel. Toggle Clasp This one is my favorite one end of a toggle clasp is a long bar or “T” shape the other is an open shape, a circle. Magnetic Clasp Is composed of two pieces that contain magnets and snap together. The S Hook Clasp The shape is a simple “S” shape. Fishhook Clasp One end is a metal hook and the other is an oval box. Slide Lock Clasp They are for multi-strand necklaces and bracelets.

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