I know, I know… I should get a working camera. (I had a camera, but it doesn’t work anymore. My second-hand Blueberry (um Blackberry) that I got for free, has never been willing to take photos. You’ll have to use your imagination. Imagination is good.
A couple of weeks ago, I found some big-hole silver-colored (SC) beads (@4-6mm), which were the same color as my real silver bracelets, at Beads World (Broadway, between 37th and 38th Sts. inManhattan). I bought a 72-ct. pack and went home to see what would happen. I had some black leather cord left over from the Christmas gifts, so I used the thick one to make a bracelet. My idea was to use all of the SC beads for the bracelet. Soon into it, I saw that I would need more beads to get a triple wrap bracelet, so I looked into the stash of solid copper beads I bought a while back, and decided on the melon beads which were approximately the same diameter as the SC beads. Then, as I started to string the beads on the cord, I saw that a) I needed more beads, and b)I needed some sort of design element.
I decided, at that point, to make a simple knot between every 5 SC bead-1 copper bead-5 SC beads set and the following“copper-silver-copper” set. (does this make sense to you? I did 5 SC beads, one copper, 5 SC, KNOT, 1 copper-1 SC-1copper, KNOT, repeat.) I made a tied-off loop with the leather at the end, and added a cheap SC lobster clasp (I’m usually allergic to anything that is not solid copper, at least 92.5 silver, or 24K gold, so this was a good way to test out two sets of suspect jewelry elements – I don’t like to make jewelry-for-sale that I am allergic to)
Turns out, I liked the look. I’ve been wearing the bracelet with my silver-colored DKNY watch for a couple of weeks. No allergic reactions, even though I slept in the bracelet.
Today, I was looking for a simple necklace to wear, and I decided to use the bracelet. Voila! Necklace! Got a few compliments, even. Then, I felt I needed to get some more of the beads and make a 3-strand necklace to go with my turquoise bead necklace.
Here begins my adventure:
First, I went over to BeadsWorld and got 2 pkgs of 144 SC beads each (that was the steepest discount they were willing to give – I asked). Their leather cord, I knew, was $1.50-$2.50/ft, and I knew I’d seen it cheaper elsewhere, so I moved on.
I went down 38th St. and looked in B & Q Trim (a place so cheap their only sign is a computer printout taped to the door). This place has all sorts of things to drool over, no matter what you are into. (I get the idea that they cater to theater and low-end clothing designers/factories, but they have all sorts of interesting stuff that you could want, depending on your mood – I have to scope out the whole place every time I go) Today, I saw some interesting acrylic chains, some great fake leather trim, some enticing studded trim – that I want to use to repair my worn-out boots). The only problem was that, although they had all sorts of leather and faux-leather cord, they did not have the size I needed in black. Boo hoo.
Next stop, I ran across the street to Joyce Trim. Wrong color, right size (slightly higher price)
Even though I was pretty much worn out, I decided to back-track and go to M&J Trimming – they have almost everything you could want that you haven’t found somewhere else, and lately, they are into some beading supplies as well). There, I found a cord that was almost but not exactly the size I needed. I started to walk, figuring I’d find it another day, but, then, the difference in price between what Beads World had and what M&J was offering, and the closeness in size (and the physical pain I was experiencing after all that walking) seemed to diminish, and I decided that 3 yds of cord @ $2.50/yd was a much better deal than 9ft @$1.50/ft, and I relaxed my design requisites. I’m sure this stuff will work… ah…. I know it will work, because it is what I have.
There you have it.
If I get lucky, I may find someone who is willing to photograph some of my pieces so I can post them here.
Meanwhile, you can just imagine the cute bracelet I have, and the nice necklace I am going to have.
and twine (or you could use leather cord). In the picture they show some chain attached — you could make it longer with a ball chain and close it with a brass toggle clasp from your local bead shop.
