Here's a necklace I can pretty precisely document: I started it St Patrick's Day; worked on it the 23Mar, completed it[1] 03apr05. And finally got around to making & posting a page 23aug05.[2]
It has now sold, ending forever the option of re-photographing it. Normally that would mean I wouldn't bother to make a page, because I didn't feel I ever really got a good shot of the finished piece; however, I like the progress shots, and I usually don't get around to making those: the early spring light was ideal for documenting the top of my stringing desk:)
Project begins, 23mar05.
As you can see from the picture, getting started on a major project like this one involves a lot of beads; some, of course will not ultimately fit in with the final design, and are discarded, such as the garnet red seed beads on the right. This necklace basically follows the lumpen format, which means I start at the back, with the cable doubled (folded over) at the clasp; the ends will be crimped at the bottom of the tassel.
This closeup is (at least in my opinion) a better shot of the focal. Though I do use wax—mostly when I'm embroidering stockings I have no idea why it's on the table, since I don't need it for stringing beadalon. But a little mystery adds interest, right? The dark green dottie in the lower left is, like the focal, lead glass, but it's czech rather than the Japanese satake.
Still a lot of beads on the table, but some have gone away.
At this point the size of beads have ramped up considerably from the seed bead (1mm) to 4mm size beads used at the beginning of the piece. In order to keep the strands relating to each other, and each side balanced, I string all of the strands simultaneously, putting a “phrase” of perhaps 2–3” (50–75mm) at a time on each strand before moving on to the next.
The finished piece, completed 03apr05.
Note the large hole ‘collars’ constricting the strands between the small and large beads. I made these on, um, gee now that the piece has sold I can't check—but either 1/4” tubing or big hole mandrels from arrow springs. 49 stranded beadalon, silver, glass, (including lampworked sodalime and lead glass by the artist) rose quartz. Completed 03apr05. Private collection.
Lariat necklace featuring champleve focals, rosecut garnet and dyed beads 23feb2024
Rainforest jasper chips add texture to a olive, black and brown necklace
2020 lentil tassel `cleanup' necklace in greens & aquas. 19mar2020
updating an old image of a garnet, black onyx & antique curliQ necklace... 29apr2022
Blue and gold tassel necklace strung on gold-colour 49 strand cable. 10may2018
This 16 strand necklace is versatile and full of little lampwork. 08sep2015
My first kumistrung necklace in a long, long time. It's also the first to feature my own lampwork beads. 07sep2015
lapis and goldleaf tassel necklace featuring yellow and blue floral vessel. Photographed 19dec2002.
Collects together the tassel necklace pages. Oh, and updates the pink satake tassel necklace page, which was a mess. 10apr2014
Purple, brown and cream multistrand necklace 08apr2014
This pretty czech floral cylinder is the focal of a multi-strand made, or at least photographed, in sep of 2010. 07apr2014
I use a birdie as the focal in this blue, green, and white multi-strand necklace. 09apr2014
Cobalt 3 hole floral pixie pressed lentil is the focal for a tassel necklace with strong color banding. 02apr2014
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I convert a three hole bead into this luscious spring fantasy necklace . Originally posted 03nov08. 03nov2008
Pearl and purple necklace incorporates 3 media: stringing, metalwork and beadmaking. 01apr2014
Another post a long time in the making: I started the necklace around the end of 2004, maybe. Lousy photography on the first two tries, finally got something marginally acceptable on the third. 19apr2006
An actual new piece: a multistranded tasseled necklace featuring garnet, onyx, glass and silver with an antique curliQ focal. File created 17sep04, 18apr2006
Documenting first of a series, this page collects all the tassel necklace posts. Revamped with new tag 19mar2014. 22may2004
Turquoise & Pink Rhodonite 22may2004
Lumpen continued: two purple tassel necklaces, one large, the other a bit more delicate. Strung Oct? 2002; photographed 23oct, 25nov, 19dec2002. 19dec2002
Purple lumpen. 22may2004
Peach lumpen, possibly made in 1st half of 2001? 29jul2000
Two copper lumpens, strung in 2002 22may2004
Cats and fish chase each other in a silvery sea. Made in 2000, photographed 04sep02. Collection of Ms. Agnes Clark. 22may2004
Unless otherwise noted, text, image and objects depicted therein copyright 1996--present sylvus tarn.
