Something for me

Something for me

 

 

 

 

When I make new jewelry pieces, I am either learning a new technique or almost always thinking of selling the piece. This time the set (necklace, bracelet and earrings) are made for me. It sometimes surprises me how that difference influences how I make the piece. It usually effects the cost of what I choose to put into a piece.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, don't misunderstand, I always use the best material. Argentium Sterling Silver rings for my Chain Maille, Swarovski crystals and the best brand of seed beads (when I use them).

It may be that I don't choose anything different at all when I'm making a piece for me. However, I do notice, I don't even look at the price of the materials when it is for me. Strange?

 

 

I showed you the necklace above last week and how it evolved. This week I made a matching bracelet and earrings.

 

 

  You can't see it in the picture but the color of the right earring is a bit different than the left. I noticed when I took the picture. No two of the beads are exactly alike on this string of beads but there is definitely more "green" in the right one. I think I'm going to make another pair with better matches. I guess it was not bright enough when I chose the beads for the earrings.

 

 

 

 

Here is the matching bracelet. I was quite lucky that the segments of Chain Maille and bead sections came out to my size bracelet. No fiddling to get the right length. Unusual.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know I shouldn't worry about cost as much as I do. David Weiman, a noted "Psychologist/Consultant for Business Owners and Senior Executives" who has an extensive background in jewelry selling, always states that the price you charge for jewelry should never be determined by the cost of materials. If the jewelry piece "speaks" to a potential buyer, the price of the piece doesn't matter. Interesting.

 

I am pleased with the results of this set.  Oh, you could twist my arm to sell you these pieces if you would like.   ;-)

 

Until  next week,

 

Bev

New Chain Maille Bracelet

This is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. The 'funny' thing is that I've had those green rectangles around for quite awhile. Never could come up with a piece that I liked using them. I purchased a strand and they are all different. Some have more brown and yellow stripes in the rectangle. I chose these three because the were all green and white.

Then I added segments of the Parallel or Helm weave. Added a clasp and ta da, finished.

I'm always amazed at the designing process. Sometimes easy and sometimes hard. Sometimes you just have to wait awhile for the results to come together. This will be available soon on our Ring by Ring Designs web site.

What do you think of the results of waiting?

B

www.bevsjewelry.com and www.bevsjewelry.1000markets.com and
www.ringbyringdesigns.com

Ring by Ring Designs

I've been very lax lately in posting on my blog. Not that I have not been busy but I've been working hard with my new designer partner, Pam Barrett. I think I mentioned before that we have joined together to form a new business "Ring by Ring Designs". Totally amazing how much time new adventures take.

Pam has a slightly different style than I do but one thing in common, we love to design Chain Maille. This is one of my new designs, partly inspired by Pam and partly by Urban Maille. They have new copper twisted wire rings. Don't they add a lot to the design?

The basic pattern is byzantine segments but the middle rings are twisted copper. Then the segments are separated by a "rose" constructed with three large twisted copper rings.

I've made this basic pattern before from a kit from Urban Maille called Byzantine Rose.

I really like the results. What do you all think?


B

Jens Pind Chain Maille Bracelet

You may have read my recent post about having trouble with the Jens Pind Chain Maille weave.

I explained that while it has a reputation of being a difficult weave, it is really just a single spiral weave. Easier said than done. However, I was determined to really learn the weave. I persevered and finished the bracelet in my previous post.

Then I wrote to Aislyn at www.urbanmaille.com and explained that I had lost my original tutorial and was having trouble making the weave. Aislyn, nice lady that she is, sent me a new copy.

So, without struggling, I made another one. I used some large rings (10 mm) to make a 5 ring mobius focal and call it "Five Silver Rings" At least that is what I call it now. Subject to change as time goes by.


A special thanks to Aislyn at Urban Maille.com


B

www.bevsjewelry.com and www.bevsjewelry.1000markets.com
I'm always open to suggestions for names for my pieces. Anyone?

Jens Pind Chain Maille Bracelet

Jens Pind has the reputation of being a challenging weave to learn. In reality it is a simple spiral with a small aspect ratio. A fancy word for a small hole in the ring. Without a small aspect ratio the weave unwinds and isn't pretty.

I had ordered a tutorial and rings for Jens Pind from Urban Maille awhile ago. I still have the beautiful bracelet I made. I decided recently to make one with smaller rings. The first one was made with 12 gauge rings. (Check out my previous post about it) Beautiful but heavy. I even had the appropriate ring sizes on hand.

I hunted for the tutorial with no luck. It is no where to be found. So, I checked out the Internet for tutorials and found a few but neither, though very clear ;-), helped me to get the weave. So, I decided to try on my own using the "just a single spiral" definition. To my surprise, with a few false starts and back ups I had made a Jens Pind bracelet. See the above picture.

I really like it. Goes with everything and is special with the little heart I had in my stash of supplies.


THEN, a friend wanted me to show her how. We worked a bit here at my house while doing other things but she said when she go home couldn't do it. Just didn't "get it". I offered to come over tomorrow to help.

I had some left over 12 gauge rings and last night I started a small chain. No problem. HOWEVER, today, I decided I'd start another piece so I'd be sure I could show her. I couldn't do it for the life of me. I looked up the online tutorials again and still no go. I tried the 16 gauge. No luck. I put it aside and this afternoon, success. I'm determined to really learn how to do this weave! ! !

I now have about 3 - inch long pieces. Starting is the hardest part so I started several pieces.

I'll soon have lots of Jens Pind earrings on hand!

It may be a mental thing. You know if you think it is hard, it is. But I don't know. The reputation may be very true.

Any of you had good luck making Jens Pind?

B

www.bevsjewelry.com and www.bevsjewelry.1000markets.com

Emerald Isle Bracelet

I've been wanting to include some crystals with Chain Maille patterns. There are several books out there (I have them) and I'm always looking for new patterns.

I found this one with a v e r y long name. "Staggered Corduroy with Japanese overlay and crystals." Whew! It is really a combination of two patterns.
The name "Emerald Isle" is an attempt to shorten the name. Plus it does look like an Emerald Isle. Of course the bracelet can be made with many different colors and then, I guess, I'll have to come up with new names.


Here is the bracelet half way through adding on the Japanese overlay part. The pattern isn't very hard but the orientation of the rings seemed to be very important to get it right. Took me awhile to "get it".


The tutorial I used was from an old Bead and Button magazine. (Never throw those out) Actually I downloaded it from their web site (for a small fee). It is handy to have that ability. They gave an editor's suggestion of adding smaller beads on each side of the larger crystals. They show up when you look at the back of the bracelet. My bracelets never stay put so that is a good idea.


So, what other colors would you like to see in the bracelet? I've had one request for sapphire so far.


B

www.bevsjewelry.com and www.bevsjewelry.1000markets.com

Finished Glass Caterpillar bracelet

Now, that is one pretty bracelet, if I do say so myself!

The second row of small beads kept me talking to myself though. It isn't hard at all but for some reason I wanted to put the ring in from the top instead of the bottom. Thus the mantra: "up, bead, down and down again". You can really get some funny looks when you go "down" first.


Here is a view from the top. The weave is very tight and you can't lay it out flat. No problem as my wrist isn't flat either.



I'm looking forward to making several of these bracelets. Hmm... what color next?

Blue Buddha, here I come (again)


B

www.bevsjewelry.com and www.bevsjewelry.1000markets.com

Glass Caterpillar bracelet

I've been talking to myself, again. That always happens when I start a new Chain Maille weave. This one caught my eye when I was reading some posts on Yahoo's Chain Maille forum. The question was "Where can I get those little doughnuts for a caterpillar bracelet". Someone suggested Blue Buddha. I recently blogged about a necklace that I recently purchased from them. I was very satisfied with the kit and now have a nice necklace (Jacob's DNA Ladder)

Anyhow, I went to their web site and found a kit for "Glass Caterpillar". My, what a pretty bracelet. So, I ordered the kit and started to make it as soon as it was delivered.

The instructions are very good and given in "stages". The above picture is prepping for stage one.



Here is stage one. Already looking like a caterpillar. I chose cobalt blue discs and little beads.

So far so good. I always have fun learning a new weave. Other than the discs this is similar to other weaves I have made before.



Here is the beginning of Stage two, adding the little beads.

Next is to add beads on the other side and finish.

I'll cover that tomorrow. (I need a break from talking to myself - never realized I did that before)

B

www.bevsjewelry.com and www.bevsjewelry.1000markets.com

New Chain Maille Pattern

Last week I purchased a Chain Maille kit from Blue Budda Boutique. I've known about Blue Budda for quite awhile. However, I learned most of my Chain Maille techniques from Urban Maille. One of the differences between the two is how they measure their rings. Yep, the measurements. Urban Maille uses millimeters and Blue Budda uses inches. It makes it hard to go back and forth and compare one set of measurements with the other.

Because of that I've not purchased anything from Blue Budda before. (I like using millimeters.) They have really nice designs, however, and the other day one of their kits caught my eye. (There is not problem of ring size conversions in a kit as you buy the whole kit and caboodle) Anyhow, the kit I chose for a necklace, is called Jacob's DNA Ladder. It has both aluminum and anodized (colored) aluminum rings. The colored rings are "captive" rings in that no other rings go through them. They just sit there, tightly held in the pattern.

The picture above shows how far I got the first DAY. The directions are fine, very clear. They even give two different methods of approaching the weave. OK, I can do this! Well, truth be told, sometimes I can and sometimes I'm all thumbs. Darn little rings! (Or words to that effect!)

Here is how far I've gotten by Sunday evening. About 7 inches.


But isn't it pretty? I can see lots of possibilities for different variations.

It is not a fast weave, by any means. At least by my means. I find it frustrating. I do expect that some time, fairly soon, I hope, it will go together faster. Right now I keep it near my computer and do a few (or one) round while I wait for things to load. This method has worked well for me when I have frustrating things to work on.

I'll post again when it is finished. What do you think of the weave so far?

B

www.bevsjewelry.com and www.bevsjewelry.1000markets.com

Kindred Hearts Chain Maille bracelet - variation

I love it when customers have suggestions for variations of my pieces. Kindred Hearts has been a popular bracelet. Something about hearts I think. Anyhow, a friend came over to pick out a bracelet for a friend. I had several extra things on my dining room table that I was working on. Nothing, (I thought) she would be interested in. Grandmother's bracelets, some with names in the bracelet. The box of letters was sitting near where we were. She looked at the pieces I had picked out for her to look at.

Suddenly, she said "Could you add initials to this bracelet?" She picked up the Kindred Hearts bracelet. I took a piece I had already put together (just the hearts) and sure enough the addition of the initials looked great.

It is made with the Barrel Chain Maille weave. Here is the finished bracelet, hearts and initials. What do you think of the addition of the initials?

Next we looked at earrings. I had made some a while ago that were one piece. Ear nut attached.
I'm finishing them up tonight. I'll let you see what we came up with tomorrow.

B

www.bevsjewelry.com and www.bevsjewelry.1000markets.com

Gold Filled Chain Maille Bracelet

I decided awhile ago that I should "invest" in some gold filled rings and make some Chain Maille. The easiest thing was to make some earrings. (Don't have a picture) The quickest was the Mobius pattern which is merely 3 inter twined rings. It is, however, the easiest to make and the most popular since it is simple and a "go with everything" piece.

The next piece I made was bracelet in the Euro 4 in 1 pattern. Now while the base for the bracelet was finished awhile ago, I lacked just a few rings to finish. It was then put aside. With my latest, clean up and organization the unfinished bracelet showed up again.

Yesterday, I went off to my local bead shop Beadcache to pick up some odds and ends and found some gold filled rings and a clasp to finish the bracelet. (It is now on my wrist!)


I think it was worth the wait.


B


www.bevsjewelry.com and www.bevsjewelry.1000markets.com