Wirework Necklace inspired by Rachel Norris

This is my version of the wire work design by Rachel Norris. Her designs are fantastic and I just had to try this one. This is my first go at making wire coils and proper wire wrapping. Really pleased with how this turned out.

 

I made some earrings too.

Katya Pendant created for Chocolate Baroque

 

Good morning. Here is another of my TV show samples using the Katya stamp recently featured on Hochanda. I have used it in a different way to make a jewellery pendant. I hope that you like it.

Materials:

Katya stamp

Air dry clay*

Pebeo Gilding Wax (various ‘golds’)

Bronze Powertex

Recycled gold plated necklace chain

*I am currently evaluating various air dry clays and their suitability for jewellery making. Some are too brittle when rolled out to make thinner items, others too light to make pendants that hang nicely. I added a coat of Powertex to this to give it a base colour (dark brown) and with the hope of hardening the slightly porous clay. When I have finished my experiments I will blog more details of my finds.

Some of my Soutache work featuring on Create & Craft TV tomorrow

I have some of my Soutache work featuring on the Beads Direct TV shows tomorrow .- Wooohooo, I am sooooo excited!

The next instalments of ‘Your Complete Guide to Jewellery Making’ are featuring on 3 shows tomorrow at 12, 4 and 8pm (Create & Craft TV Freeview Channel 23 – or watch online live – catch up videos remain online for a week at www.createandcraft.tv ).

Edition 15 features wonderful designs from Debbie Bulford. Edition 14 features Soutache – with some from me .

Bundle available with both CD ROMs and materials.

Visit Beads Direct to see a huge range of beads and jewellery making materials.

Fabric Bangle created using the Arianna Blooms Collection from Heartfelt Creations

I used shrink plastic and the Arianna Blooms Stamp and Die Collection to create some lovely beads to embellish a bangle. I was delighted with the results – I hope that you like it.

Heartfelt Creations Materials:

• Arianna Blooms stamp set (HCPC-3608)
• Birds and Blooms stamp set (HCPC-3644)
• Leafy Branch stamp set (HCPC-3645)
• Arianna Blooms die set (HCD1-748)
• Birds and Blooms die set (HCD1-756)
• Leafy Branch die set (HCD1-757)

Other Materials used:

• Translucent Polyshrink Plastic (2 X A4 sheets – approx. 21 X 29.5 cm)
• Evolon Standard weight – non fray polyester mix fabric (Colourcraft)
• Wire bangle frame approx. 4.5cm deep (Beads Direct)
• Multi-Surface Acrylic Paints (Martha Stewart – Green Curry, Folk Art – Aqua)
• Acrylic Textile Paint (Vallejo) – Black
• Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers (Crafters Companion) – blues (IB1, IB3 and BT5), pinks (CR3 and 6), yellow CT1, green (LG5)
• StazOn Inkpad (Tsukineko) – Jet Black
• Cut-N-Dry Foam (or sponges)
• Fine needle, sewing thread and strong beading thread (Nymo D) to co-ordinate
• Approx. 3mm beads (large enough to cover hole in flower centre) and size 11 seed beads (yellow)
• Card – shim for die cutting
• Hole punch
• Fabric glues – Fabric to Fabric Matte Decoupage Medium (Martha Stewart), Stick & Spray for Fabric (Crafters Companion)
• Pink velvet ribbon approx. 4cm wide (for backing)
• Organza gift bag (optional)

How to make it:

• Stamp the shrink plastic with StazOn ink. Colour the back with alcohol inks, 3 sets in blue and 3 sets in pink. Cut out with the dies. Tip: add a sheet of card over the plastic when die cutting. This gives the die something to ‘crunch’ into and ensures that the plastic cuts right through. Keep the card cuts for another project.

• Punch the flower centres to create a hole and heat shrink with a heat gun. Tip: They will curl up wildly at first, but keep going and they will flatten out when fully shrunk.
• Colour a piece of Evolon with green paint and stamp with the floral branch and extra leaves using black acrylic paint. Tip: clean the stamps quickly with water to prevent acrylic paint drying in the stamp crevices. Cut out with the matching dies. Add a bit of shading with the green alcohol pen. Tip: using a card shim also helps when cutting out fabrics.
• Colour another piece of Evolon with aqua paint, large enough to cover the bangle with a wide margin to wrap over the wire edges.

• Plan out the design area by creasing the fabric over the wire frame. Snip the floral branch and lay out pieces and extra leaves along the middle of the Evolon. Glue down using Stick & Stay spray glue. This is great for flat gluing and it dries quickly.
• Layout and stack the flowers to work out their arrangement. I took a quick picture so I could remember where to sew them down. Wrap the wire frame and use spray glue to hold the fabric in place. Stitch all around the edges with sewing thread. Make the stitches neat on the front but don’t worry about the back (this will be covered).

• Sew on the flowers with beading thread. Attach them down by sewing from the back, through the centre hole, adding a larger and small bead, and then going back down the larger bead and hole to the back again. For strength stitch through a couple of times and anchor the thread somewhere under the flower (i.e. where not seen on the front) before moving to the next flower.
• Finally glue down the ribbon to finish the back of the bangle using the decoupage glue. Leave to dry overnight.
• I used a couple of spare leaves and a flower to decorate an organza gift bag to match.

Tile Necklace Pendant Created for Chocolate Baroque

Here is another of my designs created for the recent TV shows on the Craft Channel for Chocolate Baroque – using the Lace Fragments stamp set.

Materials:

• Lace Fragments stamp set
• Stampbord domino tile
• Ranger Archival Inkpad (Coffee)
• Watercolour pens (pink, green, turquoise)
• Inkpads: Versamark, Distress Ink (Black Soot)
• WOW Clear Embossing Powder
• Fabric Glue
• Jewellery components – chain, recycled bead strings with calottes attached, toggle clasp ring, headpin, small piece felt

How it was made:

1. Stamped the tile with archival ink and coloured the flowers with watercolour pens. With a pokey tool I then scratched back the surface to create fine detailed highlights. The edges were inked with Distress Ink.
2. The tile was then sealed with 3 layers of embossing powder applied with Versamark Ink. NOTE: The embossed layer did tend to crack and easily chips off the Stampbord. I think that I will try doming resin next time.
3. A wire loop was made from the headpin, glued to the back and covered with felt. The pendant was then hung from a decorative toggle clasp loop and attached to the necklace.

My first experiment with Stampbord – me likey.

Anne x.

 

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