Ocean Pearl Hat Pin Tutorial

Learn an inexpensive hack for avoiding the wobblies with large-hole beads.

Created by: Mollie Valente

Designer Tips

String the first three beads onto the hat pin finding: 3.4mm heishi-style metal bead, 3.4mm heishi-style metal bead, and 6mm beaded spacer bead.
String on 2 wire keepers and space them to match the length of the Mirage bead. These will serve as bead adjusters and keep the Mirage bead from being wobbly. String the Mirage bead on so it covers both wire keepers.
String on the remaining beads: 6mm beaded spacer bead, 12mm Aventurine Rondelle, 6mm beaded spacer bead, 8mm round bead, and metal barrel bead.
Make your own positioning bead: Cut a wire keeper in half, string it on to the hat pin, cover it with a 4.8mm crimp cover.
Slide the positioning bead up the hat pin wire to securely hold all the beads in place.
Finish with a stick-pin clutch.

Need a visual of any of these steps? See the Step-by-Step Illustrated version of this project:

Suggested Supplies

1 each #38-030-1 White Plated Hat Pin, 6", with Head
1 dozen (use 1 piece) #38-850-1 White Plated Stick Pin Clutch
1 gross (use 2 pieces) #26-233-3 Silver Plated Metal Beads, Heishi-Style, 3.4x1mm
1 hundred (use 3 pieces) #49-954-06-AS TierraCast Antiqued Silver Plated Beads, Cast, Beaded 6x2mm
1 strand (use 1 piece) #27-398-01 Color-Changing Mirage Bead, Ocean-Pearl
1 strand (use 1 piece) #21-001-011-03 Aventurine Gemstone Beads, 12mm Rondelle with Large Hole
1 strand (use 1 piece) #26-815-108 Silver Plated Metal Beads, Barrel with Rope Coils
1 strand (use 1 piece) #26-815-209 Silver Plated Metal Beads, Round, 8mm
1 gross (use 3 pieces) #33-960 White Rubber Earring Backs, Wire Keeper
1 hundred (use 1 piece) #48-285-48-1 White Plated Crimp Cover, 4.8mm