MaryHardingJewelry Bead Blog: Lorelei's FusionBeads.Com challenge; Night Owl's perch

Friday, January 21, 2011

Lorelei's Fusion Beads.com Challenge Night Owl's Perch

clasp using the green leather cord

As soon as I saw Lorelei's list of beads for this FusionBeads.Com challenge, I knew I was going to do a freeform peyote stitch necklace for my contribution. I had never worked with those little tiny drop seed beads and I imagined a necklace with lots of fringe using them and the leaves. But, peyote stitch has a way of being very bossy. I mean bossy!! Once I picked out the back ground seed beads which are a mix of size 6, and started stitching them together the style of the necklace changed.
I was able to use the following from her recommendations: The green cord to make the clasp; the fire polished glass beads, some Lucite leaves that I had on hand from the Beadin' Path since I couldn't find the bigger ones anywhere; those lovely wooden beads ( there are a few worked into the beadweaving); the tiny size 11 drop beads ( they are used on the clasp, to attach the leaves and to fancy up the top front of the necklace); the owl clasp--I ordered it and it sat on my bead table but would not join in, so I kept its presence in the title of the piece: Night Owl's Perch. We do have a barn owl that lives in the trees around our house and I hear it hooting frequently and can imagine where it sits while it hoots--hence the name.

another pic of the clasp

closeup of the front of the necklace showing off the glass beads and the leaves and those wonderful tiny drop beads

An overview of the necklace

Another overview of the necklace

As you can see from the pics the necklace stands up on its own. That is how it is made. I have sewn it to be stiff and stand up around my neck when I am wearing it. It looks good that way. Actually I stressed over this while I made the necklace but went with it and enhanced what it was already doing by sewing in and out of the beads quite a few times. I also used a double strand of Fire Line size D to make it stiffer.

I must say that I enjoyed making this necklace, shopping for the beads and dealing with the parameters of the challenge. This has been such fun.

THANK YOU LORELEI

I hope you will hop over and see the other folks that participated. Here is the list: The links are live.

http://lorelei1141.blogspot.com/