New Necklace

Uh...recently, mother and I went into Joann's to pick up some staple goods that every seamstress and jewelry maker needs to complete projects.  You know, things like thread, needles, eye pins, head pins, that stuff.  WELL, I discovered some really interesting findings advertised for making "trendy bracelets".  They were deeply discounted.  I guess people weren't too interested in gaudy rhinestones, industrial looking charms, or super quirky pendants.

Well, earlier that day my mother and I had a conversation about how people treat handmade goods like a trip to Walmart and expect 5 of everything in every color and every size -available instantly and cheaply.  We also had a screech and titter about how she 'borrows' pieces to supplement her wardrobe and how I REALLY should try to make more than one of certain styles that I predict will sell well.

Not that it has anything to do with what happened at Joann's.  Let's just say that because I had coupons that could be layered and I was feeling...inspired, I opted to buy doubles of...things.  Shush.  Forget everything you read about my excesses just a few days ago.  This is for a good cause (Uh... Science!) and I don't have anything like it already, so I'm excused from judgement, ok?

That said, I immediately got to work on creating a set of near identical necklaces.    The only difference between them is the number of rhinestones used. 

Aegis Estuary

The semi-opaque beads seem to glow against a dark background.

Since people often ask me how I managed to 'come up with' certain techniques, color pairings, or ideas for putting things together, I will now post pictures of a rough process I used to turn what was advertised as being a bracelet into a pair of lovely necklaces.

Started with 6 inches of this- too small for a neck.

I made beaded chain in a figaro pattern, using Czech glass to highlight the crystals

Worked in the first layer of swarovskis in Capri Blue to give depth

There you have it.  The first three stages of the necklaces' construction.  I'm trying not to have this be one of those tutorials where they start off showing you step by step and somewhere between step 2 and 3, they forget to or explain how they get an unbelievably photo-realistic picture from two squares and a circle.  Onward to the next bit.

Link the two adjacent crystals with more crystals on a parallel axis.

Repeat the process above, this time with the link beads perpendicular.

And here is where I got frustrated with constantly breaking my flow to take photos of what I was doing.  I need an assistant, I think.  Sadly, assistants cost money and money is in short supply.  Here is the close to final product- just prior to the additional rhinestones.  See how the patterns used in the previous steps are repeated until it comes to a close and is finally finished with crystalline drops and balanced along the sides with beaded chain.

A second row of opalescent crystals was added to the trapezoid beads, then a row of brass beads to draw the eye downward and balance the necklace so all the eye-grabbing shininess isn't just beneath your chin....

If you like this necklace, you can find it here in my Etsy store.