Thursday 6 September 2012

Contemporary Geometric Beadwork

Well goodness me!  You may remember my Pyramids Cuff, well it will soon be published in Contemporary Geometric Beadwork, a book by Kate McKinnon inspired by the ever wonderful Jean Power!!  I'm absolutely chuffed to bits.  An actual something I made PUBLISHED!!! 

Not only that, Jean has her very own book coming out as well soon based on her beading career!  I may just faint with excitement!

I cannot wait to hold both these books in my hands and pore over all the wondrousness that they will contain.  

Sunday 2 September 2012

Heroine Necklace

So all summer I have been working on Jean Power's amazing Heroine Necklace.  The pattern came out in the August/September issue of Beadwork Magazine and as soon as I saw it I fell utterly in love with it and knew I needed to make one for myself!

Here is my attempt:

 The triangle chain was so easy to do - repetitive but easy!  The clasp is a rather remarkable design that is fully reversible so that you can have two totally different looks in one necklace.  On this side I found a gorgeous vintage German pressed glass cabochon that had triangular facets which I just loved as it echoed the triangle link chain.


Here's a close up of the chain:


On the other side of the clasp, I decided to use a titanium coated agate druzy.  I wanted something that looked really industrial but organic and thus completely at odds but in harmony with the rigidity of the steel triangles.  I think it works! 

Side view:


The colour of the druzy really lightens the steel in comparison with the black glass cab.

In all, this has been a mammoth project, and definitely not a hill I'll be scaling anytime soon again!  All the effort, and 100g of steel delicas is definitely worth it though as I think it looks amazing.  Jean made such a clever clasp and the fact that you can wear it without the clasp and tie it together with ribbon just adds to the versatility.  I love this necklace and thanks to Jean for such an amazing pattern!