QI bought a 2 x 1-in. (5 x 2.5 cm) gold-foil glass pendant, but I can’t find a bail that is large enough to fit the thickness (about ¼ in./6 mm). Can you suggest a solution besides stringing a cord through the hole?

Thank you,
Dorothy Siu
Leandro, CA

AThanks for your question, Dorothy. I have a few ideas for you. Use wire-wrapping techniques to make a customized bail that is as simple or elaborate as you like. Or you could string a few beads on a short piece of beading wire and crimp the wire into a ring, making a more decorative bail than just using a large jump ring (which you could also use).


Another option: Working in tubular peyote stitch (Online Basics), pick up enough size 11 seed beads to make a ring large enough to fit around the top of the pendant and accommodate the thickness of the cord you will be hanging the pendant from (photo a).
Use size 11 seed beads for the next round (photo b).

Switch to size 11 cylinder beads to stitch the outer two rounds (photo c).

Stitch the last two outer rounds using size 15 seed beads. The decrease in bead size makes the bail curl in a bit along both edges.

Hope these ideas help. If anyone else has an idea for Dorothy, please post your comment!

Anna Elizabeth Draeger
Associate Editor
Bead&Button magazine