Spring Mix of Pearls

I made this set last weekend and find, again, that I adore these pieces!  This is the first time I have done a nearly random mix of stones (three colors of freshwater pearls, in this case) in the Viking knit section.  I wish that I also had different sizes of each color so that I could have the piece larger in the center than at the sides.  I find it immensely difficult, however, to find pearls that are of the same dye lot that are in different sizes, and more specifically, in smaller sizes.  I need pearls that range from 2 mm to 5 mm.  I can find white pearls more easily so I am considering the possibility of dying my own pearls.  Has anyone done this?

The other new thing about this necklace is the hook and eye.  Well, the eye portion, really.  I needed to make sure the eye was truly secure, so I soldered it closed.  Nothing earth-shattering, to be sure, but a new addition for me!

I already know what the next two (TWO!) necklaces will be; I have had the pearls for months and now know that I was waiting for this design to emerge.  I also think I shall make matching bracelets.

Turquoise Set

I made this set last week and used my new photo studio set-up for the photography. I must admit that I am thrilled, THRILLED, with the result. I think I am getting close to figuring out how to configure my lights in order to get this look. I have two more photos of older work ready to post, but I think I will spread it out over the next few days, so come back to see the pretties!!

This necklace is 5-stitch Viking knitting with the turquoise chips worked into the weave. I didn't make it long enough, and so had to add the links on the ends. I thought the result would be awful, but I find that I like the effect.

Viking knit chain with red coral pendant

I spent a few days this week modifying an older piece of work. Originally, this pendant was on a four-stitch double knit silver chain with a coordinating hook. It never really met my own vision of what it should look like, mostly because the chain had been pulled through too small of a hole. It looks OK, but I don't like the look of very tightly pulled chains, and the chain diameter was not the correct scale for the large pendant. I was paging through my sketchbook and found a sketch for a different type of pendant suspended on a short length of Viking knit, bracketed by two small hand-coiled links. Perfect!

I made the 5-inch segment of 5-stitch double knit and the two links to match the pendant, then made a new length of 4-stitch double knit (not pulled so tightly!) and a new hook to match my current style of coordinating hooks. I am very pleased with the outcome! I made this piece a little long (22"), so it looks great on a black turtleneck. I am planning on including this piece in my next round of jury photos (to be taken on Monday!).

Posted by Jan Raven on http://wovenwire.blogspot.com.
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Viking Knit set with green pearls

Here are the Viking knit pieces that won me First in Jewelry at the Amish Acres Arts and Crafts Fair, as I posted earlier. The necklace came first, and I originally intended to have all the smaller, darker green pearls to the outside and the larger, lighter green pearls together in the center of the piece, a graduation in size as I usually do with white pearls. Before I began weaving, however, the pearl strands sat around on my work table and while absentmindedly playing with them I saw the alternating size/color option and decided I might like that better. And I sure do like it better!

The bracelet also represents the first bracelet of this type. I have never liked bracelets made using the Viking weave, mostly because the weave naturally wants to stick out straight at the ends, making it extremely difficult to operate any kind of latch or hook. This open weave is a bit more forgiving, and the large "signature" hooks that I make allow one person (me, as the resident product tester) to hook the bracelet with one hand. It is definitely a bit trickier than my other bracelets, but still doable. These look nice on the arm and -Bonus!- the hook looks cool too so it doesn't really matter which side is showing.

Bulky Viking knit necklace

Earlier this spring I finally made a piece I had been thinking of for quite a while. I have made Viking knit chains in which I strung a strand of seed beads, so that the color of the beads comes through in a subtle fashion. I had a strand of large faceted rondelles of amethyst, citrine, and ametrine which needed just the right project, and I had been wanting to put them into a Viking knit chain, but as I said, the rondelles were LARGE. Up to 1.5cm for the largest. I realized one day that the perfect mandrel for this project was a cut up pool cue that I use for making Turk's head rings (learned from Loren Damewood). First I had to choose the size I wanted to make the chain on the graduated pool cue. As you can see, this meant starting the chain in the middle of one of my pieces of pool cue. Very tricky!! The other photos show the work as it progresses, and the final necklace. I have to say that after all that work I am somewhat disappointed in the result. It did not occur to me (why not??) that the gemstones were not dark enough to show through the way I envisioned. The result is interesting, but a little TOO subtle. I am not sure what I am going to do with this piece yet.

FYI: The Viking knit chain is woven with 60 feet of 26 gauge Argentium silver, and took an elapsed time of 4.5 hours spread out over 5 days. The gemstones are strung on Accu-flex beading wire.

Actually, now that I am looking a bit more impassively at the photo, the colors come through just fine and I like the effect. Just goes to show that your expectations can affect your perceptions!