Beaded Gypsy Belts

Silver + turquoise + chain + a little gypsy = these super awesome beaded belts!

I've created two styles here, one Tribal Silver one and this Beachy Shell one. I will show you the steps I took to create the Tribal Silver one, because the shell one was really just a variation on the technique.

These belts are totally versatile. You can add them to jeans, wear over an oversized sweater, layer them up, or even over a maxi dress for style of all kinds.

The Beachy Shell belt includes mother of pearl beads, turquoise Czech faceted rondelles, agate disc beads, and hematite 3mm rounds. With mixed metal findings (copper and antique gold) and finished with faux leather, it totally has that hippie vibe.

But let's get back to this Tribal Silver one. I was inspired by California beach style to create this belt, incorporating cool colors of turquoise, opaline and chalcedony faceted rounds with bright silver pendant discs, and adding coin charms to complete that almost "Nepalese market" look.

You may think that beading on so many of these large disc pendants would look super gaudy, but I think it totally works! Here I have it layered with another silver belt I got while in Arizona, and as you can see, the look is totally gypsy-chic. 

What's great about this belt is that I've only beaded the front part, while the back part is chain, which makes for easy wearing. It lays so nice this way and is surprisingly light.

I'll explain more about the Beachy Shell belt after I show you how to make this one.

Are you ready?

Step 1: Gather materials. Needed are:

Large silver emblem pendants (mine from PandaHall)

Small silver beads (optional)

Pliers

Beading wire (mine from Cousin)

Jumprings and a lobster clasp

5mm or 6mm Gemstone rounds (mine from Happy Mango Beads)

Gemstone teardrop pendants (mine from Happy Mango Beads)

Chain (mine from Cousin)

-Any other beads or charms or even those little boho bell charms would work great. You don't have to use exactly what I said here, this is just a reference! -

Start laying out your arrangement. What I did was alternate between the big pendant beads, the gemstone rounds and the teardrops. 

Start beading this arrangement on two strands of beading wire for sturdiness. I beaded enough so that it went around the front of my waist, because the back I will be just using chain for. 

I had pre-measured this chain and beaded part so that they both equaled my total waist (make it loose though, and it's ok to add a little more chain so it's adjustable). Make sure you have two pieces of chain (one about 4" longer than the other because this is the adjustable part).

On one of the ends, simply add a crimp or two and pass through one end of the chain, then back through the crimp, crimping shut and finishing with a crimp cover. Finish off the other side this way, but crimping to the other  the chain. 

Add a clasp on one side of the chain, then finish with a teardrop chain drop on the other side. I also embellished this beaded part a little by adding smaller chain (attached with jump rings) between the central beads and central pendant. I added Cousin coin charms and a teardrop pendant. Feel free to add as many or as little embellishments as you'd like!

I think these coin charms are discontinued, but you can find plain copper ones here. 

Here I have it layered over a sweater dress. Really, anything works!

Now, this shell belt incorporates the same techniques; the beaded part is on beading wire, and I switched out the chain for faux leather which make it tie-on.

I created charms from headpins for the agate discs. Then, dangled even more hematite beads from them for movement and shine.

I grouped three disc bead links made with the headpins together, then grabbed both ends and added them to a jump ring. I alternated these with Mother of Pearl discs and turquoise crystals.

This is a daintier belt, which works great for styling with cutoffs (these I bleached and ombre'd - super easy) by adding it through the belt loops. I added that Arizona belt on top, or you can leave by itself for a daintier look.

I feel this is a great summer accessory, but you could totally wear in winter/ colder weather. I would style this with dark denim skinny jeans, brown booties, and an oversized cream-colored tunic top. 

As you can see, these belts are just blank canvases for your creativity. What I love about these is that it's a great way to use my bigger beads that I wouldn't have necessarily used in a necklace or bracelet. Take my techniques here and change up the format to fit your style.

I could totally see a copper metal / turquoise gemstone / silver bead accent palette working here for a Southwestern-style belt.

If you're girly, use pearls, crystals and even ribbon here (instead of the leather on the beachy belt). 

If you're goth, go with a palette of black crystals, onyx beads and black leather.

So many possibilities!

I'll surely be making tons more of these!

Thanks for reading!

All photos copyright Allison Beth Cooling.