When I gathered my jewelry findings and gemstones together to make some jewelry for a summer wedding, I didn’t so much have a picture in my mind of the finished piece as I did an idea of what I wanted my jewelry to feel like – joyful and fun. I looked at my goodies, an array of colorful stones and luscious vermeil style gold plate findings, and started putting things next to each other. I had lots of ideas, but it wasn’t until I started wire-wrapping stones to links that a bracelet started to take shape. Black garnets and gold links formed the base of the bracelet while colorful aquamarines, rubies and other gemstones wrapped on headpins made it more playful.
Sweet Summer Bracelet
When I looked at my finished bracelet I realized what a great necklace it would make! Since I made my bracelet long enough to wrap around my wrist twice, to make it a necklace all I had to do was attach a clasp to a length of chain that would fasten to my bracelet. Doing this at least doubled its length so that I could now slip it over my head and wear it as a necklace. To give myself yet another way to wear this design, I tied a black silk ribbon to it. This way I end up with an entirely different third look – a luscious double strand necklace that’s even more joyful and fun.
I love how my design process evolved as I made this bracelet so that I ended up with a convertible design that I can wear three different ways. I am not sure that I would have made such an ingenious piece of jewelry had I tried to draw out my design in advance.
Click here to read “Sweet Summer Beads, Part One.”
Sweet Summer Necklace
Double Strand Sweet Summer Necklace
