Pearl and Pelican Necklace

The beading bug has obviously bitten me, because this week I did another beading project.

I got some lovely pearls and a pewter pendant from Mistress Kiriel, and this week strung them up on tiger tail wire with some glass rainbow beads. I used a simple ring and bar closure, which is really helpful if you have issues with your hands and wrists.

A very simple, fast and satisfying project!

Mending and mundane projects

I have been consistently busy over the last couple of weeks with SCA paperwork and little tasks like mending and mundane crafts and sewing. I've also had tonsilitis, a tooth infection and a chest infection over the last month, so not feeling my best or most productive.

I got these nice wooden beads really cheaply at an op shop that was selling new craft materials, and made myself some mundane necklaces which I am pretty happy about.

Necklace with Agate Pendant and Beads

 A nice, quick project that I finished recently for a friend. I found this agate pendant at the thrift shop and strung it with some glass and natural gemstone beads on tiger wire.

Seahorse Pendant

My Baron gave me a gift of a beautiful seahorse pendant and I have been planning to string it for a couple of months, but I just hadn't found the right combination of beads.

After a couple of failed attempts,

I think I have finally found a classic design that suits the style of the pendant:

The beads that are showing up as brown are actually purple. All the beads are glass strung on tiger tail wire.

Necklaces of Glass Beads

I recently made these glass bead necklaces in heraldic colours as a gift for a friend. They are strung on tiger tail and have easy-to-use clasps.

Beaded Necklaces

This week I strung some new necklaces. They are glass beads on tiger tail. I also did a couple of extras for use with mundane wear.

Cream glass beads

Green glass pearls

Red and green glass beads

And the mundane necklaces

Green glass beads with purchased pendant

Red glass beads with purchased glass pendant

Seed Bead Necklace

Portrait of Giovanna Tornabuoni by Ghirlandaio

Image from: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Ghirlandaio-Giovanna_Tornabuoni_cropped.jpg

I made a necklace similar to this one with 2mm seed beads. I suspect that this type of necklace (which is seen widely in Italian portraiture of this time) is made from a knotted cord. I decided to make one in this style from beads. Usually I love beading, but this was a troublesome project (mainly due to the size of the beads.)

The completed necklace

Bee and Pearl Necklace

I made this necklace as a gift for a friend who has bees on her device. It has a purchased bee pendant strung on gold tigertail wire. The beads are large gold seed beads and baroque pearls.

Clock Necklace

A friend in my SCA group organised some pendant clocks that we could use at events but that wouldn't look obviously modern. This weekend I finally managed to get time to make a necklace for mine.

It is strung on tiger tail wire with some clear glass, black gemstone and brass beads. I think I will make a smaller matching necklace to go with it so that I can wear them as a set.

Beaded Italian Necklace

Simple string, cord and beaded necklaces seem to be fairly popular in Italy in the fifteenth century, so I decided to make one to go with this style of dress.



Portrait of Giovanna Tornabuoni by Ghirlandaio
Image from: http://ganino.com/_media/artists:domenico_ghirlandaio1449-1494:ghirlandaio13.jpg


Domenico Ghirlandaio, Birth of St. John the Baptist (1486-1490)
Image from: http://ganino.com/_media/artists:domenico_ghirlandaio1449-1494:ghirlandaio2.jpg



Ghirlandaio's Portrait of a Lady
Image from: http://www.wikiart.org/en/domenico-ghirlandaio/portrait-of-a-lady

I made my necklace as a single strand of beads which then splits into two after being separated by a larger blue sunstone bead.

The blue glass seed beads (4mm) were strung onto tiger tail. A crimp was used at the bottom to secure the beads. After the bigger sunstone bead, the single strand splits to become two separate strands. They are finished with crimps and silver fastenings.

I am thinking of making another necklace in a similar style, but with two strands at the bottom, and maybe one in thin lucet or fingerwoven cord.

Flashes of Flattery Blog

You may remember that I have posted previously about my talented friend Gabriel who makes the cute little rapier pins and pretty beaded pendants? Well, he now has a blog available to showcase his wares:
http://flashesofflattery.blogspot.com.au/

Pomander Bead Necklace

When I was on holiday in July I picked up some treasures in the local junk shop.


Only a couple of weeks before I had been looking at the jewellery of this lady; particularly her billiment and pomander bead necklace. I was wondering where I could buy such a thing. I have a single bead like the etched ones in the portrait, but I had found that years ago and couldn't source any more, so I thought I would never get a necklace like this. I also thought that the chances of finding a pomander bead holder was very remote.

16th Century Portrait of a Lady by the Florentine School, sold by Soethbys

Image from Pinterest

 

 

Walking past the junk shop, I saw this necklace hanging in the window and literally did a double-take like a cartoon character. I rushed into the shop and purchased it - for $4! I also got a brooch and the little earrings. The people in the junk shop must be getting quite used to me doing a happy dance on the footpath when I walk out of their shop!

 

 

Making up the necklace -

I used plain gold beads because I couldn't find etched glass ones. I also used more pearls in my version than the one in the picture because I don't think the orange-gold beads are very flattering to my skin tone and I want to be able to wear the necklace with bodices as well as doublets. The pearls are baroque freshwater pearls and they are strung on gold tiger tail wire for durability. I took off the little heart and wire tassels and hung a synthetic pearl drop from the pomander bead ball instead of a round one because it looked nicer.

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

The completed necklace

 

 I have made pomander pellets and balls in the past, but will probably use a perfume oil on cotton with this bead instead because the bead is quite small.

 



This silk that I found on special is the perfect colour match for the lady's top, but I could only get a couple of metres. Probably enough for a doublet and sleeves, but not a skirt to match.

 

New necklace

Today is the first day of The Fourth Annual Italian Renaissance Costuming Challenge
(http://realmofvenus.renaissanceitaly.net/challenges/IRCC2014/IRCC4-2014.htm). I am very enthusiastic about the challenge, but I have had a really nasty virus for the last couple of days which is making me extremely tired and miserable. Just so I could have the satisfaction of imagining that I started the challenge in the way in which I want to continue, I spent twenty minutes or so beading a new necklace in my heraldic colours. The purple beads are glass, and the pearl beads are baroque freshwater pearls. The beads are strung on tiger-tail beading wire, which I like for its strength and durability. All from stash, too.

Pearls go with any sixteenth century ensemble, so will be useful for the styles that I usually wear; mainly English and Italian.

Now, back to bed for me!