Stretch Pearl Ring {Tutorial}

My dear friend Lissette--always dolled up--was showing off one of her favorite rings to me at a wedding we attended at the end of last year. It had a center silver pearl, Swarovski accents and a silver band. It was darling. I tried it on and to my suprise it was a stretch ring! Hm...I questioned when she got it and how much she paid. The money she spent on it seemed a little overpriced to me and I told her to never buy one again; that I would make her any color she liked! For her birthday I made her a similar green pearl ring with a matching bracelet. She went crazy over it and is so impressed that it looks almost identical to her original. I was never a fan of stretch rings as they seem cheapy...but with the pearl and crystals these are timeless and too cute!

Stretch Pearl Ring

:Supplies:

Jewelry Stretch Cord

Pearls, crystals, silver beads
Jeweler's glue/cement

Step 1. Cut the Stretch Cord to your desired length. I always give tons of extra length so that I have room to arrange the beads and still have plenty of cord to tie a knot at the end. I cut mine at about 8 inches or so.


Step 2. Design your ring. Strand the beads however you would like. I usually start with my center stone (the pearl) and work to the outside. I ordered my ring as follows from the center: Pearl, swarovski crystal, silver spacer bead, silver beads


Step 3. Be sure that your ring is snug, but not too tight when determing the size. To finish it off tie a knot as tight as you can without leaving a gap in the beads. I have yet to perfect the best way of tying stretch cord, though a square knot has seemed to be the go-to knot thus far. I've also used a surgeon's knot. Here are two links that do a much better job giving directions to tying than I would!
http://www.netknots.com/html/surgeons_knot.html 
http://www.ehow.com/how_4828697_stretch-nylon-cord-jewelry-making.html
For a little extra security, dab a small amount of jeweler's glue/cement to the knot if you have some on hand. Make sure there is enough stretch in your ring to not have the elastic break; no knot can prevent this from happening!

Enjoy your ring!

I apologize for the low-quality photos as my digital camera batteries were dead--

these are courtesy of my iPhone. :)

Lissette with her new ring--she was SO ecstatic when she opened her new jewelry. She is already placing orders for friends birthday gifts...AND more for herself. :)

With the matching bracelet.