Summer knotted necklace on silk

After a lot of deliberating, playing around with various design ideas and beads, I have finally come up with my afternoon project for my May workshop.
I don't know about you but after the gloom of this years winter I am desperate for some sun and heat and with that in mind I decided that by May we will definitely be gearing ourselves towards a long hot summer, well we can dream any way!
I think that my chosen design for a summer necklace will be perfect to wear with both cotton dresses and summer tops.

I have knotted cats eye chips onto coloured silk, this sample necklace is 16 inches long but attendees of the workshop will be able to make their necklace any length they choose .
I am also hopeful that there will be time to make a pair of matching earrings and possibly a bracelet too
The workshop itself is on May 7th 1,30 - 3,30pm at Lily's Secret Vintage Tearoom, Swan Pit, Gnosall. I will have been hosting a jewellery making workshop there in the morning and I do offer the chance to attend both workshops with lunch.
Please contact me for further information or to book your place!

10.30 am - 12.30 pm  Jewellery Making

£26 includes all the materials plus tea/coffee 

You will receive instruction from myself on various bead jewellery making techniques - then you will be able to choose from a large selection of beads to make your own jewellery including  simple, earrings, bracelets and necklaces. If you are a beginner hopefully by the end of the morning you will have confidence to make many more items in your own time and tackle simple jewellery  restringings and repairs too! If you have already attended one or more of my basic jewellery making sessions before then you are might like to take your jewellery making to the next level, maybe making a multi-stranded necklace for example. You will also have the opportunity to purchase extra beads, findings and tools   

1.30 pm - 3.30 pm - summer knotted necklace on silk thread.

£26

To book the full day the cost will be £49 to include all your materials and hot drinks plus soup and sandwiches 

Cat's eye revisited

Today I chose to make some items using these pretty cat's eye tumbled chips, I still have a few strands of these to work through - but here are my finished items for today's Mondays Makes.
All of these pieces have been crocheted on blue coloured enamelled wire
I started by crocheting a necklace this is a longer length than my usual necklaces as I am often asked for clasp less necklaces, which can just be placed over your head.

I liked this design so much that I also decided to crochet a shorter necklace with a clasp.

.... and as it has been a while since I made any spectacle chains I then crocheted a spectacle chain with the remaining chips on the wire...

handmade jewellery by Angela Smith

Ear hook trial

I made the decision last week to attempt to make my own ear hooks and jewellery findings as well as continue to buy ready made ones in for the time being. I will be following instructions when I start in earnest, but today I just wanted to to see how plausible an idea it really is. So with my enamel coated silver wire I made these earrings -
I cut two identical lengths of wire and with my little hammer I flattened the very end which would act as a stopper for the glass beads and cats-eye I then threaded onto the wire. once I was happy with my bead selection I held both pieces of wire together and bent the wire half way around a pencil to form the bend. I then grabbed both ends with my pliers and gave them a little flick and then filed the tips of the wire until they felt smooth to touch. I know that hammering wire adds some rigidity to the form so I lightly hammered at the bend which I am trusting will help keep the shape. I believe this has worked, but has caused another problem as I only used enamel coated wire my hammering it has worn away some of the coating. This of course won't be an issue when I use metal wire!
They are good enough for me to wear but not for me to sell - but for a first attempt and not following any instructions I am very pleased with these.

 Handmade jewellery by Angela Smith

crocheted cats-eye jewellery

Cats-eye is a form of Chrysoberyl also known as Cymophane and comes in a range of colours including, orange, green and blue. I bought these chips with the idea of making some pretty summer jewellery. Yesterday I chose to crochet some onto wire to make a selection of necklaces and bracelets.

 

 

Some of these I will be taking to the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust craft fair this coming weekend - 9th 10th February, and I took some of the others over to Studio Crafts in Stafford today along with some more knitted and crocheted jewellery.

handmade bespoke jewellery by Angela Smith