Punk-Chic Jewelry

I'm a firm believer in dressing up homemade presents with pretty boxes and bows. Here's a gift I made a month ago for a friend.

We a both fans of the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I wanted to make a punk necklace similar (although with some major liberties) to the one in the end of the series. Sorry, don't remember which episode it was. Mine have pointy spikes and a heart for the chain to run through.

 

The idea was to make something a little sexy with a tank-top, dress or a V-cut shirt. The chain is a little adjustable, so you can alter the length of the spikes by how much you pull it through the heart.

The earrings aren't necessarily supposed to match, but I made this before her sister's wedding, and I told her that if she didn't already have something fancy to wear on her ears, this might work well. She loves big earrings.

The earrings were very easy to make. I bought it mostly assembled. I basically just attached the earring portion. But, then again, I paid extra for that sort of convenience because they were gorgeous.

The necklace is what took the longest. These chain links were so tiny, and were a big pain to open and close and get just right.

This has been over a month, so this post is long overdo. She thanked me for the jewelry when it was dropped off at her house, but I haven't heard from her on how it actually wears (or if she has worn it at all yet, even)...so I'm not sure it she likes it as much as I thought she would. Oh well. Is my jewelry too eccentric?

KUAS Pattern: Lovely Cords

Good news! The I-Cord necklace has a name: Lovely Cords!

I  was able to scrounge up enough time to add it to the KUAS Designs Ravelry shop. It's a quick and easy project, so it's only listed for $1.99!

Lovely Cords is a fusion of knitting and beading. The hardware that is put at the back of the necklace really makes the project pop and gives it a more professional, finished look. Don’t be surprised if people ask you were you bought this necklace.

Materials:

Yarn: Approx. 40-45 yds of Louisa Harding’s Thalia (or any ribbon yarn in a semi-bulky weight with a recommended needle size of US11) Pattern seen in “Eggplant.”

Wonder knitter tool:  with a 3-pin dial piece.

(You can knit the I-cord using double-pointed needles [dpns])

Optional: two size US 10.5dpns

Jewelry Hardware & Tools:

Two flat-nose pliers,  two 6’’ lengths of  7-strand beading wire (.45mm), 2 large cone beads (the bigger the better), 2 bead spacers, 4 bead crimps, three jump rings,  two 4.5’’ lengths of metal jewelry chain, 1 clasp, and a decorative flower with a twist-tie glued onto the back.

Try to get all of the beading materials in the same metallic shade.

 

Will you be one of people who will win a KUAS pattern tonight at the online  Halloween Knitting PARTY at7pm (CT)? 

Mish-mash Monday

This is just a mish-mash post of several things that I should have posted in the past, but haven't yet. This first is the most recent finished objects: earrings.

These are teal chandelier earrings that were really simple to make. I basically bought the chandelier part pre-made on clearance at Hobby Lobby and attached a jumper and earring piece.

 The next pair of earrings, Native American looking arrow pieces, was just as simple.

This next photo was from my Forget Me Not Shawl and I had so many photos of the finished project that I didn't post anything else. This is a photogenic photo of the bobbles. Love it.

Next, I forget to post a really neat present that I made for Mother's Day: Edible Arrangements. They looked so close to the real company's that I fooled them into thinking that I bought them $150 arrangement!  Not kidding, it would have cost that much, and mine still would have had more fruit. I made three total arrangements, the third (not shown) was a smaller one for my grandma in a flower vase.

I had fun. It took a couple of hours, but it was worth it.
Next, what gardener wouldn't do an update on the garden?

Our tomato plants are growing so tall, that it is making it's way up the tree behind my garden. I can't even reach the new growth without a tall ladder. The cucumber plant also has found nearby branches and have clung to it to keep growing vertically.

And lastly, I planned on making two posts: a frogging effort and a post on my special wall for yarn.
For now, I'll leave you with this photo, a small bin of projects (and the blue one, "Frozen River Slouch" is finished) that bin used to hold about 45 projects!

Happy Labor Day! Now get knitting!

I've got a "Pumpkin Ale" update coming soon.The boys start preschool tomorrow! AH!

FO: Where Bohemian meets Egyptian goddess

I have friend who really likes the jewelry that I have made in the past and shares with me an eclectic sort of personality.

I know that she loves wearing sparkles in whatever outfit she wears, so for her birthday I decided to make her a very "Bohemian meets Egyptian" looking necklace that makes you feel like a goddess.

Hopefully she has a  cute outfit to match.

Now, here's what the necklace looked like before I made it more Bohemian by adding the ribbon. I'm torn on whether I helped it, or hindered it's look. I will tell her that I can simply take off the ribbon from the metal jumper if she likes the original look more. My husband likes this version better. Bah!

My inspiration for this ensemble was these flower beads with the attached clear bead under it. I attached the metal spikes at the base because I think that it really gives the earring that extra punch that it needed as dangling earrings. It reminds me of shooting stars. The earring itself is plated in gold. If it's your birthday, I'll go the extra mile and not go all El Cheapo on you with value-pack gold-colored earrings.

Next, I decided to glue on Swarovski crystals on the flower portions of the bracelet to give her the sparkle that I know she would want. I absolutely love this next photo. It looks like a crown!

 I hope she loves it, and it's not too over the top.

 More jewelry posts coming next, and an update on my "Pumpkin Ale" Sweater.

Jewelry: Ecclectic Bird Necklace

Hey guys, this is my favorite jewelry-making of the three posts today.

The matching bracelet hits the notes of the necklace, but on a toned down scale. 

 

It looks super cute with a dark denim dress (note: dress fetish of mine lately) .

The bird was really the inspiration for the whole thing. I wanted red to be dominant, like the red flowers on the branches, but accented pops of blue/teal. I mixed layered beaded (stretchy) wire with a bronze chain link. It was my goal to get the bird to be offset by roses in a asymmetrical way.

I have already gotten so many compliments from family and friends on this on how unique and sweetly eclectic this looks. I'm already getting requests to make them one. Eek!

Jewelry: Fourth of July Dangling Earings

MATERIALS

2 Silver Earring hooks

2 silver eye pins

4 silver Jump Rings

6 Glass beads (2 each in red, white and blue)

6 lengths of 8 small linked chains (about 1.5 inches long)

DIRECTIONS

Thread red, white, and blue beds onto eye pin and close with a wrapped loop. Make sure the red bead is next to the preexisting loop on pin. Using the wrapped loop end (which should be the blue bead side), attach a jump ring containing three linked chains. Finally, attach the earring hook to the top of the eye pin with the red bead side. Make second earring.

Enjoy. They remind me the shooting stars, American style. 

Twin love at the beach.

Jewelry: Purple Prayer Pendant Necklace

I have a friend who is going through a rough time, emotionally and physically. To cheer her up, and to help her know that she is in my thoughts and prayers, I experimented with jewelry making as a symbolic gesture of these following things being with her:

Purple: for peace and healing

Orange: for energy and optimism

And a little angle watching her back:

It's a fairly simple necklace. I mainly did a spiral coil design to hold the pendant and little jump rings with glass beads, besides the cute little angel charm hanging out by the toggle clasp. 

I'm still getting the ropes of things, but I have a few more Jewelry pieces to show you in the following posts that get even cuter. Making jewelry is a fun little outlet for quick projects to show off, especially during the hot summer months, with cute tanks and dresses. I'm sort of developed a dress fetish lately. :)