Ring by Ring Designs: Kumihimo

Summer Beach

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Summer Beach

Despite the lower than normal temperatures, it is June and it is bound to get warmer soon. That said, I'm loving this type of weather as I'm not a big fan of the three H summer weather (That is hot, humid and hazy by the way:-)

Looking through my stash, I found a small kit of seed beads that was labeled "Summer Beach" kit. I got it several years ago when I attended a Kumihimo Meet Up on Cape Cod. Thanks to Sally Battis for the kit. Too much else going on at the time but, finally, I finished it and here it is.

I decided to play around with some props while taking pictures. Good choice was this shell. I know the color combination was not good but it was just for fun. I guess they would all blend in with the sand.

While I was at it, I tried a different view. Too much time on my hands? It is listed on my website here.

I have also been working on a new necklace named "Day Lilly". I'll show you next time. I do expect it to be finished soon.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Fiber Kumihimo Necklace with a Heart

Fiber Kumihimo Necklace

with a Heart

Last week, we were on Cape Cod for Thanksgiving week. We celebrated with about 15 family members with the usual Pinochle games, ping pong, Oh - Hell, Sequence, more Pinochle and of course eating.

I took along a bag full of jewelry projects and managed to make two - three wrap leather bracelets.

My main project, however, was to make a Fiber Kumihimo necklace to go with a heart shaped pendant I had in my stash. Before we left, I made a trip to our local yarn shop, Auntie Zaza's Fiber Works.

I noticed, when I had visited before, that she had some long samples of yarn in various textures and colors. Perfect for my current project. I picked out two bundles and brought them with me to the Cape.

Our family did not arrive until Tuesday so I had time to "play". And play I did. It took five different tries to get a color mixture I liked.

Finally, I loaded up my Kumihimo disk and the first inch (my test patch) looked good with the Heart Pendant. I now had a project to work on watching TV or just chatting with family. I finished the length needed but I needed to add the pendant (that took some fiddling) and the clasp.

And the results:

It is hard to see in the picture but it is a combination of several violets and purple with a hint of green in both the necklace and pendant. I added several strands that I had from previous projects.

I have two more similar pendants and may make more like this one.

So, what do you think? Let me know.

Oh, yes the other combination. It may take longer to choose colors and find a pendant. I wonder what that one will look like?

It should be fun figuring it out though.

Monday, December 2, 2013

Kumihimo Gifts

This week's "feature" is Kumihimo bracelets and necklaces. The discount will be 20%.

Click here or on the picture to see my Kumihimo video.

Here is a video of just the Kumihimo bracelets made with Magatama seed beads

I noticed that I used very different music in these videos. If you watch both, let me know which you prefer.

Kumihimo bracelets listed on my website can be seen here.

Kumihimo necklaces can be seen here.

Remember the catch. Well, not really a catch but some direction. Because my web cart does not allow me to give discounts, you need to send me an email if you have questions or want to purchase at the discounted price.

Let me know what you would like by sending me an email.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

I changed my mind

because I can!

Remember last week when I said I would finish the Grapevine necklace using the plan I had to make it from two bracelet kits?

Well, I decided that it wasn't going to work as I wanted. So, I will now have two Grapevine bracelets.

Now what? I do have other unfinished projects.

:-)

One is using the Fiber Kumihimo necklace I made to go with the Picture Jasper pendant I made.

(Another change of plans project) I ended up using Antique Bronze chain instead. It really looks much better. But now what to do with the Fiber Kumihimo?

I, also, have a pendant that is waiting to be used. It needed a bail. I purchased some Vintage Bronze wire for that and added to the Fiber Kumihimo. Voila a new necklace.

The picture does not do the pendant justice. You can't see the lovely "sunset" for example. I like this combination.

That wasn't the only thing I've been doing. I saw a nice video with an idea for earrings. I'm always looking for new earring ideas as I get a lot of earring requests.

Unfortunately, the picture shows that I'm not consistent with my wire work but if they are on different ears, I don't think it will show as much as in the picture. Or, I could "treak" them a bit.

Let me know how you like the new pieces

Bev, I think...

Until next time,

Bev

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Kumihimo Necklace: How to?

Kumihimo Necklace: How to ?

It seems that I run into times that I just don't get much done in the "creating" line. This is one of those times. So, what happens to the subject for my weekly posts?

I'll share a little secret with you. Around 4 - 6 AM on Monday mornings, I lay in bed and think... about what I might say. (I often lay in bed thinking on other mornings, too) Most often I come up with something easily. Today (Monday) not so easily. Finally, I decided to share one of my unfinished projects that I have.

I love this bracelet. Those of you who see me often will recognize that because I wear it often. So, the next project for me was to make a matching necklace.

The bracelet is made from a kit from Sally Battis and I figured I could order two bracelet kits and make a necklace. What I didn't figure, ahead of time, was that Sally includes the length cord for a bracelet. - Not a necklace, even if you order two kits. Well, duh!

So, I now have a bracelet size piece. Plus another bracelet size piece. But can I still make them into a necklace?

I could just order more from Sally (I'm sure she would send me the proper length cords) but could I do something else?

My plan is to take the two "bracelet" pieces and put a pretty clasp on two ends, (hooking the two bracelets together) then add a chain to the other ends and voila, I'll have a necklace.

The pretty clasp will be in the middle as a focal and the chain around the neck.

The thickness of the braid, really, is too much to go comfortably around the neck anyhow. Other similar necklaces I've made all have a chain around the neck. This also, allows you to vary the length of the necklace. This is a feature I love. Not only for selling to different people, but for me to be able to adjust the length for different clothing styles.

I should be able to finish the necklace by next week so I'll show the finished product then. Saying that in print gives me the motivation to get it done! ;-)

Until next time,

Bev

Friday, December 14, 2012

Birthstone Gifts

One of the things people like to give as gifts is jewelry with birthstones. It is a more personal gift and usually very appreciated.

If you do a "Google" search for Birthstones, you will get many choices. With in the choices you will find some disagreement in what specific Birthstone that fits each month. To simplify things, I chose the list of Swarovski crystals. That fits better into my jewelry making anyhow. Most months are pretty much the same in each list. April isn’t a diamond but (clear) crystal. October has a few choices as does December and June. Other choices for October are Opal, Light Rose and Green Tourmaline. For December other choices are Turquoise and Light Sapphire. For June, Pearl is another choice.

Most chain maille jewelry can have Swarovski crystals added to make a birthstone piece. Of course you can make a bracelet or necklace of just Swarovski crystals with some spacers

Another idea is Family, Grandmother or Mother's bracelets. Having the color of each birth month of each child. Here is an example of one with the child's name and October birthstone, sapphire.

Think of the people on your gift list. Would someone appreciate birthstone jewelry? You can design one of your own that will be special to the recipient.

You can see some suggestions of Angel Birthstones on my website. Actually, almost any angel will make a good gift. Do consider birthstones as gifts.

Let me know what you want to design for your gift(s).

Until next week,

Bev

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Designing a New Necklace

I've been thinking about "How do I design a new necklace?" lately. I used to make most of my own clothes and had a similar dilema. Start with fabric first or a particular pattern? Well, it is much the same with a new necklace design.

Start with a particular technique (Chain Maille, Kumihimo or stringing) or design around some particular pendant or beads? Right now I need some new necklaces to go with a new top I recently purchased. That brings up another thought. Do I purchase clothes to go with my jewelry or make jewelry to go with new tops? (Mostly, I buy clothes to go with my jewelry)

The answer to all of the above questions is much the same. It all depends! And I use all of the methods and sometimes even combine the different methods. All that said, here is how I came to make my latest creation.

It started with a new top that required a necklace with some color to it. (The top is a neutral gray) I have about 5-8 pendants that I've collected over the last year from my trips to bead shows. One vendor in particular has great choices and it is hard to come home with only 6 - the quantity you need to purchase to get a better price per pendant.

The next decision was technique. I decided on Kumihimo for this one. (No particular reason other than I liked the colors in the pendant and thought I could find some nice seed beads that would go with the pendant) So, off the my local bead store where I found these two seed bead colors. Transparent Dark Topaz and Gunmetal Iris.

I usually always have cord on hand to make Kumihimo braids but when I got home with my seed beads, I found I was all out. But I did find some red/maroon/purple/?? C-Lon. and added that to the mix of supplies. It adds some extra color to the finished braid.

I loaded up my Kumihimo disk, mixing up the colors with 5 cords of the Gunmetal Iris and 3 of the Dark Topaz. If you make it an even number , 4 and 4, you end up with a spiral. That is very nice but I didn't feel it would look right with the design on the pendant. This is to be more "mixture".

Nothing seemed to go smoothly in this project and after I started, I soon discovered that I had cut the cord too short for a necklace. So, the necklace project turned into a bracelet. No problem since it is nice to have a matching bracelet.

Here is the bracelet next to the pendant. I do like the colors together. What do you think?

I admit, I still have not finished the project yet. I still need to add clasps to both pieces. (Thus the sort of "cut off" look in the pictures) I plan another trip to the bead store this week, or maybe search my stash here and finish the project. Sometimes I need to take a break in the process. ;-)

I've started another necklace project to go with my new top. Very different design. Much the same process, though, as this one. I started with another one of my pendants. And yes, I'll make a matching bracelet and probably earrings. This is a chain maille design. So far I like both projects. You'll see some pictures next week.

Wednesday, June 20, 2018