Sunday 5 December 2010

Blue lampwork inspiration

While checking out the new lampwork beads on Little Castle Designs the other week I spotted some beads I wanted, so I ordered them.

I loved the blue colour of the beads and the swirl that Sabine (the maker) had put round the outside.

For a while I've had a long section of really nice sterling silver chain lying around the house and I've been wanting to use it for something "drapey" (if you know what I mean). So I decided Sabine's beautiful beads were ideal for putting with the chain.

I'm not sure what the official name for the type of chain is but it's a lovely spiral using very small links and I love the way it drapes when hanging from my hands so I wanted to make that drape part of the design.

I decided I'd also like to have some of the chain hanging loose as a tassle below a single bead. That led me to decide to make a pair of matching earrings also with sections of chain hanging down from them.

So these are the pieces I made:

Blue lampwork and silver
 
Blue lampwork and silver


I love the way the drapes on the necklave have worked out. I did have to swap the longer dangles I had on the necklace for the drapes to get the shape I wanted, and I am now thinking that I might shorten the central dangle in the necklace tassle so that the tassle has similar proportions to the dangles on the earrings. But I haven't really decided yet.

For now I think I'll leave them alone and wear them for a few days to see how they work. Also, to make sure that they don't all fall apart while being worn - don't want that to happen if someone ever buys them.

Until next time
Anne