10. Now we'll complete the first column of hexagons. Don't worry, this first hexagon will seem a little strange at first, but as you add more hexagons and more columns, it will right itself. Pick up a bugle, a seed, a bugle, a seed and a bugle 

Go down through the seed bead at the right corner of the second diamond from the top.

11. Repeat step 12 for two more hexagons.

12. Pick up a bugle, a crystal, a seed bead, skip the seed and go back up through the crystal, pick up another bugle, seed and bugle.

13. Complete the two next diamonds, going up, as you've done for the first column.

14. For the top diamond 

there's a slight variation: pick up a bugle, a seed bead, another bugle, a 4 mm crystal and a seed bead; skip the seed and go down through the crystal, pick up another bugle and go down through the first seed of the sequence (the one at the left corner of the diamond). Continue through the next two bugles until you get out under the seed bead at the right corner of the diamond.

15. Now make another column of hexagons 

16. From now on, you'll alternate between making a column of 4 diamonds and a column of 3 hexagons, until you have a lacy band long enough to go around your neck, leaving a gap of about 25 mm between the first and the last columns, measuring between the first diamond of the columns. 

The choker starts and ends with a column of diamonds, so now we'll see how to complete the ending column. Also, it is at this moment that we'll add the "button" beads. 

17. Ok, now your thread is coming down and out of the seed bead at the bottom of the third hexagon. Add a bugle, a 4 mm crystal, a seed, skip the seed and go up through the crystal, and add a bugle 

NOTE: the two top "buttons"-and-loops sets measure about 25 mm when closed. However, as I've already mentioned, the two inferior ones must be longer, since they'll rest at the base of the neck. So, from top to bottom, the third set measures 35 mm closed and the fourth measures 50 mm when closed. To achieve this, we'll just add more seed beads at the start of each "button" (just like we've done for the loops), making them longer. 

18. To start the bottom button, string 17 seed beads, one 8 mm crystal, 3 seed beads. Go through the last 3 beads of the series of 17, through the crystal and the opposite three beads, forming a kind of "stalk" to the crystal. Loop around as much as you can, and go back through the 14 seed beads back to the bugle.

19. Add a bugle and weave your needle through the right side of the hexagon (the seed bead-bugle-seed bead set) (Figure 10). Add another bugle.

20. For this button, string 13 seed beads, one crystal and 3 more seed beads. Go through the last 3 beads of the series of 13, through the crystal and the opposite three beads, forming the "stalk" the same way you did before.

21. Repeat step 18.

22. For this button, string 9 seed beads, one crystal and 3 more seed beads. Go through the last 3 beads of the series of 13, through the crystal and the opposite three beads, forming the "stalk" the same way you did before.

23. Repeat step 18.

24. Add a button just like in step 21 

Add a bugle, a 4 mm crystal, a seed bead, skip the seed bead and go down through the crystal, add a bugle and go down through the seed bead at the top of the hexagon. Continue around the diamond for added strength. Ta-da! We're finished. Now, tie your thread and weave it back as much as you can, knotting at intervals. Clip the excess thread.

25. Remember the stopper bead at the beginning? Take it off, knot and weave the thread, clip the end. Back to the contest page