Multi-Strand (3 or more) Necklace Challenge!

[battah]

Ooooh I love that! Tahitians on leather are beautiful. Is drilling your own pearls really difficult? It seems like it would be.

 

[Katbran]

3 lines leather tied and knotted. The pearls are glued in place.
Leather and Tahitian pearl. Makes you feel like Steven Tyler when you wear it! Or very organic, or just plain amazing.

LOL I saw him wearing that leather/Tahitian necklace/rope thingy ... amazing...very rock star!

 

[Amrita]

Thought I'd add a creation just finished yesterday - a triple strand necklace of mixed peacock FW dyed pearls and matching simple dangle earrings...The 3 strands are nestled and are 18, 19 and 20 inches in length..

What do you think - does my attempt qualify to be part of the "Multi-strand Necklace Challenge"?

 

[pattye]

Yes, thank you, Amrita, it is lovely! Great sophisticated colors!

Please tell us about the clasp. Does the spacing of 1 inch difference allow the strands to hang correctly at the neckline? Were there any design challenges? What size are the pearls?

Did you mix the colors yourself, or were they already mixed on the strand?

 

[Amrita]

Thanks Pattye!
The clasp is a silver one with 3 hoops on each of its 2 pieces - the loops are quite close together but were just right for these pearls (7.5-8 mm)...would need a bigger clasp with larger spacing between hoops for even slightly bigger pearls. It hung quite nicely around the neck - unfortunately do not have neck shots..
This was made by mixing pearls from 4 different coloured dyed FWP strands..

 

[battah]

That's beautiful, Amrita! I love the spacing, they're nice and close but with enough room to lay flat. Lovely.

 

[pattye]

Amrita,

Thanks for the additional details! When mixing pearls from multiple strands, it can be more difficult because of slight shape and size differences, and often strands are slightly graduated at the ends. How did you get the random color mix?

I'm working on a long 100 inch rope combining the best pearls from 8 strands. I had to mix all the pearls in a large wooden bowl!

 

[Amrita]

Well, the four temporary pearl strands (from the same size range) were not completely undone. We kept them on the table side by side and removed 4-5 pearls from each strand at a time, then chose the best randomly suitable ones to put into our necklace strand in the most suited order of colour, size and shape. After the suitable ones had been used from the loosened pearls, the next 4-5 were removed from the 4 strands and dealt with in the same way....and so on...

I hope I have been able to explain this clearly. No mixing in the bowl In this way, things remain much more organized and in control. Also, when simultaneously taking out a few pearls at a time from several strands of the same size range, you can be relatively certain that the pearls from all the strands would roughly the same size as you would be at the same area of strand in all the strands....thus solving the graduation problem too...

Did what I just write even make any sense?

 

[LitGeek]

Amrita I absolutely love the necklace you created! The colors are FANTASTIC!!!!

 

[Amrita]

Thanks so much battah and LitGeek!

 

[CeciliaW]

Amrita, That is a beautiful piece. Well Done!

How did you attach the strands to the clasp?

Cecilia

 

[KarinK]

First submission: Five stranded bracelet

I started out with seven strands of almost uniform pearls in size 5-5.5 mm. I took them all apart and first selected the not quite so good ones as I figured they'd be noticed less on a bracelet with such an elaborate clasp than on the rope I'm planning to make from the rest. The quality was really good too so the duds were certainly useable. Next I selected the largest of the ones left, having already done an app. measurement of the length of each strand.

I usually use gimp but I've tried that once with a three stranded bracelet and it was not fun. So I took lead from the original piece and used clams (or what ever they're called). I like to tie the end of thread about to be hidden around a small bead to give the clam something to get a good hold on. I also give the two knots a drop of nail polish (high tech!).

I attached the middle strand first, checking the length. That was when I realized that the clasp is curved and not straight. This threw me off a bit but I dug out some small base metal beads to help adjust for that. The second strand then turned out a little longer than the middle one. This was when I took the chance decision to taper the strands to fit my wrist better (and not have to restring the second strand). No more problems after that.

The bracelet wears increadibly well. It's more like a cuff, certainly not a loose bracelet, which helps the clasp stay at the front. I had expected it to crawl to the back of the wrist but it doesn't. I don't know when I would wear a five-stranded necklace but a five-stranded bracelet? Anytime!

I am SO happy with this bracelet. I absolutely love it and it was well worth waiting for the right pearls. Had I known how great it would look I might even have gone for akoya, but I guess you probably wouldn't even notice. Maybe one day. Total cost: around $50.

- Karin

 

[KarinK]

Second submission (as we are on the topic): Three stranded bracelet

A few years back I bought a strand of akoya keshies. Finding them too delicate for a single strand necklace I decided to make a bracelet from them. In the first version all the strands were attached to an S-hook. I had used gimp and the whole project was a nightmare. The morganite rondelles used are 3 mm. That should tell you the size of the keshies. I had to use size 0 (0.3 mm) thread and it was slippery as soap so the gimp wasn't tight enough.

Last summer I bought a gold plated clasp intended for three strands and - sigh - restrung the bracelet. This time I simply pulled the thread over the jump rings the clasp came with, adding a small golden bead at the end so you don't see the thread. I also used a tiny freshwater pearl right after the gold bead to have something to double the thread back through.

I kinda braided it as I found it impossible to get an exact match on the length of the strands because of the diverse size of the keshies.

Conclusion: It's pretty and with three strands just substancial enough to be seen when wearing it. The keshies are lovely, but for some reason I don't wear it often and I hope I never have to restring it again!

- Karin

 

[BAS]

KarinK -- WOW! The are both beautiful and such a different look. I can't believe you made the big beauty for $50! (I might add I like your nail polish and sleeve colors, too!) I am so impressed with everyone's skill.

 

[Marianne]

So glad your antique clasp finally found it's home! Both bracelets are really lovely!!!

 

[pattye]

Karin,

Bravo for doing both pieces! The turquoise and pearl bracelet is magnificent! Having fw pearls over akoya is a plus for frequent wear. And the slightly softer glow of fw perhaps better suits the turquoise in the clasp!

The keshi bracelet is absolutely lovely also; no doubt even more so than the photo shows.

And thank you so very much for including the details that will help us all when considering multistrand projects.


ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT P-G'ers, join the fun and push to the finish!! (You can always show your multi-strand items in this thread, but hurry if you want to receive a prize for participating! Everyone wins!)

 

[juliebeth]

ah shoot, i need to do this today/tomorrow! i have it all planned, still have not executed!

Amrita, i LOVE LOVE LOVE the peacock pearls! and i love that you gave an explanation of pearl selection, it made perfect sense, and also made me very happy, as i'll follow your example!

karin, i am so impressed - both bracelets are amazing! noone will ever notice the FW bracelet isn't akoyas - it is just beautiful, and i love how your design lets it really fit your wrist perfectly. just lovely.

 

[GemGeek]

Both gorgeous! I seriously need a close-up view of the little bracelet.

 

[LitGeek]

KarinK Your turquoise and fw pearl bracelet is crazy beautiful!!! I think the fw pearls are just perfect for it...I think the akoya would be a bit too formal feeling for it.

I am with Pattye and GemGeek on your keshi bracelet...I bet it is much prettier IRL and close-up photos would be lovely!

 

[juliebeth]

i third or fourth the request for closeups on the keshi bracelet!