We’ve been so thrilled to have Allegory Gallery as a regular sponsor for our monthly challenges. Andrew and William curate an inspiring collection of creative supplies from art beads, stones, to unique vintage finds and so much more.
My project today features a hand-painted polymer clay pendant from Andrew Thornton. I wanted to create a beaded element that mirrored the shape of the feather in the focal. Wire and seed beads combined to form oval links. I choose gold etched beads to reflect the gilded accents on the feather.
The pendant reminds me of the line from Emily Dickinson’s famous poem:
“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul…”
And that sounds like the perfect note to for this season as we look ahead to the new year.
Supplies:
Feather pendant
Polymer clay disk bead
2 10mm ceramic beads
2 8mm polymer clay wobbles
4 4mm glass o-ring spacer beads
28 6/0 seed beads
4 6” lengths of 20 gauge antique brass colored wire
3 3” lengths of 16 gauge brass wire
2 11.25mm brass jump ring
16’’ brass chain
Brass hook clasp
1. With a 3” length of 16 gauge brass wire create a large loop. Open the loop and thread through the pendant, close the loop. String on one o-bead, disk bead and an o-bead. Create a simple loop at the top of the wire.
2. On one 6” length of 20 gauge wire create a loop in the center of the wire, wrap the wire again around the pliers to create a double loop. Wrap one end of the wire two times above the loop. String on 7 seed beads, create another double loop. On the other side of the string 7 seed beads. Wrap the end of wire two times under the loop. Create three more seed bead links, set aside.
3. Attach two beaded links to the pendant with the 11.25 jump ring, you’ll need to turn the bottom loops of the seed bead links facing frontward so they lay correctly on the jump rings.
4. On a 3” length of 16 gauge brass wire, create a simple loop. String on the ceramic bead, spacer and wobble bead, create a simple loop at the end of wire.
5. Attach the beaded link to the top of the seed bead link. Attach a second seed bead link to the top of the beaded link.
6. Repeat the pattern on the other side of the necklace.
7. Attach the chain to the end of last seen bead links. On the end of the chain on one side attach the hook clasp and attach a 11.25mm jump ring to the other side of the chain.
Resources: Pendant: Allegory Gallery. Disk bead and wobbles: Humblebeads. Ceramic beads: Stoney Point Studio. Wire, jump rings, clasp, chain, o-beads, seed beads: Lima Beads. (Brass findings are from .)
Earrings to match feature ceramic Terra Rustica Studio, enamel leaves from Gardanne Beads and disk beads from Humblebeads.