I love this brooch, which was a birthday present (and the
first gift of jewelry my husband ever gave me) 25 years ago. According to this recent post by Andrew Thornton,
that makes it vintage! I wore it all the time in the late-‘80’s, at the center of
a buttoned-up collar, but must admit that it has languished in my jewelry box
for the last 20 years. Until this week, when I was looking for a focal for an
Alchemy of Objects class challenge.
My first thought was
to remove the clasp and drill holes in the side petals to attach the
neckstrap. I was debating the best place to drill to achieve just the right
balance, when it occurred to me that I could keep the pin back attached. The
brooch is concave, and the clasp would not interfere with it lying flat as a
focal. I particularly liked this option because it allowed me to create some
fringe to echo and accent the gray stamen in the brooch.
 |
| Faceted quartz, bali silver, chyrsocolla rondelles, and herringbone sections adapted from a Carol Wilcox Wells design in Beadwork (April/May2011) |
 |
| Pin back detail: Square-stitched loops connect the neckstrap to the brooch; fringe cascades from removable peyote-stitched tube. |
The upside of retaining the pin back: the integrity of my
brooch wasn’t compromised (I’m an absolute novice with a drill!) and my necklace
is now convertible. It can be worn without the fringe, which can easily be
slipped off its pin. Also, the brooch itself is completely detachable – it will
be jacket season soon, and, when it's not enjoying its second life as a necklace, it can still be used as a pretty, single accessory to
punch up a black blazer.
Wow what a result! I love your fringe and the spiral herringbone sections. This necklace is so lovely and versatile. Well done.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to give new life to an old treasure, and keep its integrity in case you want to wear it as a brooch again sometime. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteYou are making some incredible pieces in this class! I love what you've created here!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great solution. The necklace also turned out well.
ReplyDeleteso many options~this is genius! and very very beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous (and I'm so glad you didn't attempt to drill it, it would have ruined the brooch -the enamel would have cracked/shattered)!
ReplyDeleteWow, really beautiful. I agree with Lori, glad you did not drill it. I love how you did the back of the pin, great idea, thanks for showing us.
ReplyDeleteSonya
What a marvelous idea. It would have been a real shame to have tried to drill holes and have it backfire on you. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful necklace! I love everything about it. The story, the beads you chose for the necklace, the herringbone sections, and the fact that the brooch is still detachable. Wow!
ReplyDeletewow this is a gorgeous piece!! xo
ReplyDeleteLove this! Can see possibilities for other pendants or found objects with this technique. Thanks so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous, gorgeous gorgeous. Love that brooch. I'm missing the class already. Loved getting to see your work and having you drop by my blog.
ReplyDelete