Learn With Me- Making of Necklace-3

I did not post much on making of jewellery. I have made many and gifted to my friends and relatives. I have lots of friends and relatives with Birthdays in September and October -Virgos and Librans.  :) :) :).... Well they appreciated a lot and when told them I made it and asked for their critical comments. But they assured me my jewellery was very good and looking like as if made by a professional.

Any way I have a long way to go. I am only trying out simple things. But I have lots of ideas on complicated designs too. I am also making bangles, ear rings, bracelets, anklets etc. to go with them. I will be posting tutorials in my coming posts.

The problem is many a time I have to make them at a very short notice- like some one's birthday engagement or some occasion and in all my hurry I forget to photo graph them. Well I will be making many more.

Here it is


Required:


Red beads
Gold (Matte finished) beads
String or wire
Clasp
Pendant set


Before Starting...


The Red beads are I think Garnet- not of very costly variety. I am not so sure because I have bought some different types in red colour and I am not too familiar with the names yet. I have used 24 on one side-total of 48 numbers.


Gold beads which I have used in between the beads are available in various sizes and varieties; mostly round or somewhat oval. They are available in plain, matte finish, cutting designs etc. In this necklace I have used matte finish. They do look dull but then they are in now. I have used 25 on one side- a total of 50 beads.


The pendant is pomegranate shaped with seed beads and matching ear rings. I have posted about it in my last post. I chose this because the white of the beds stands out in contrast to the red beads. It also has matching red beads dangling at the bottom both for the pendant and the ear rings.


I have used 0.45 mm wire. You can use any string that will hold the weight. Strictly speaking using same coloured silk thread is most prevalent practise.


Method:

• Decide the length of the necklace you want and cut the string accordingly after allowing an extra five inches or so for attaching the clasp. I prefer to string the beads first without cutting the wire or string. This way we can cut off the required length after attaching the clasp without any wastage. 
• The length of my necklace is 27 inches in total. 28 inches is considered to be ideal.
• First string in a gold bead then red coloured bead followed by a gold bead and so on...till we reach half way through.
• Then string in the pendant. Actually the hook of the pendant was too big. So I had wind the wire (to the back side of the hook) to keep it place, or else it would slide along the beads.
• Now string in the rest of the beads and attach the clasp.

Here it is.

This red coloured beads are very popular here. It goes well with many a silk sari-white, yellow, green as contrast and matches maroon shade saris.  But these days contrast coloured beads and jewellery are much in preference than matching ones. Red colour signifies, auspiciousness, prosperity. So Indians prefer red coloured saris or jewellery. 

I have used a very simple design. But one can use more gold beads. Similarly, I have used both gold and red beads of the same size. Actually both are available in different sizes and shapes too. Red beads are of different shades too. Suitable pendants can also be used-made of gold (polished if not of real gold), pearls, kundan, meenakari, glass, fibre etc-either contrasting coloured ones or matching ones.  

Hope you like it.

Pendants-3

I have not been posting much on this section. Well I have been very busy and also ill. Now I am slowly recovering. Here are another set of Pendants and ear rings. These are in the shape of fruits: Pear, Pomegranate, Strawberry and Pineapple etc. They are available in two sizes- big and small. These are made of some non precious metal polished with gold. They are encrusted with either seed pearls or white stones.

This is the Pineapple. You can see the white stones, with red beads dangling from the bottom. You can also see the enamel paint on the crown-Meenakari work. This one is my sister's. I could not photograph the ear rings. She has a matching set.

This one is mine- a Pomegranate. But this one has seed pearls. You can see the Meenakari work and dangling beads.

These are the matching ear ring set. 

These are a bit costly but very nice to look at and unique. They will also keep for long. So not a bad investment. 

What I observed was that all these set were following the red (or pink or maroon), green and white which is in fashion these days.

I have used my set in one of my necklaces. I will be posting the tutorial soon.

Do write your comments and suggestions please.I will appreciate if can do so.

Pendants-2

Floral Sets

Here I am with another variety of Pendant sets. Remember my previous post? It was Meenakari Pendants. See it here.

http://summersofindia.blogspot.com/2010/09/pendants-1.html

Now I am going to show you some Pendants in the shape of flowers. These may be made of fibre, glass, carved out of stones like jade or other precious ones and also corals. Here are the ones which are in the shape of Roses and made of fibre. This set contains one pendant and two ear studs.

This is lovely orangey peach. Well I don't know how to describe it.

This is one shade of sea green or aqua green.

This is deep blue.


Well these are available in different colours-white green light and dark, cream etc. I picked only those which would suit my beads to be made into necklaces.These can be worn on a gold or silver chains, cord, ribbons or used with beads. Oh these are available in three sizes-small medium and big. Mine is medium sized.


So how are they?

Pendants-1

MEENAKARI SET

I have this habit of collecting various items of jewellery separately and piece them together to form a set. It is very costly to go in for a complete jewellery set and also most times we may not  like all the items in the set. Whenever I visit the shops or visit the various trade exhibitions just browse through the items on display. I carefully pick and choose various items like ear rings, necklaces, bangles, pendants, anklets etc and then set them together. Most of the time I am successful in picking very unique items. But then it takes a long time to match various pieces to from a set and many a time, I end up without finding all the pieces. It is also difficult to remember all those that I have so that I buy the other matching pieces. Any way the challenge and fun is in making up sets like that rather than buying sets with unwanted pieces.

Since I have been making my own jewellery, I have started carefully collecting, single pendants and pendant sets. Pendant sets consist of a pendant and ear rings, sometime finger rings too. So I will show you some of my collections. Mind you my collection is very affordable, unique and elegant. That's what I feel.  :) :) . Here is one variety:

Meenakari as you know is a very intricate and beautiful art . I love the intricate and very delicate designs. Here is my post on Meenakari:

http://summersofindia.blogspot.com/2010/06/meenakari-work.html

Ok now for my pendant sets. 

This is a very traditional colour scheme of green and red. Red is symbol of auspicious or good events and green prosperity, fertility etc. It never goes out of fashion. These days this is much in vogue. Even beads are of jade, ruby or garnet and pearls are worn in combination with green and red pendants, ear rings bangles, anklets and so on. So I picked up this. This can be worn on a gold chain or teamed with the beads I mentioned above. 

What I like in this was the very intricate, delicate but traditional design which never goes out of fashion. I love Lotus designs. They are symbol of purity, spirituality prosperity etc. This is a very rare and unique piece. Except for the lotus, the other part of design, thats the vines remind me of Moghul designs of Tajmahal. Well is a blend of Indo-Persian design.

This is another set of red and white. I liked the floral pattern. This is not as delicate as the other one and the finish is also not that good. It has two rings, so the beads or chain need to be hung from both the rings.

Here are the matching ear rings. I have not yet decided the beads to go with it. Pearls, Green jade or red garnet or a combination of all may look good. I will just have to experiment around a bit, before I find the combination to my liking. I will post the final product after I finish it.

So How do you like this? I feel these are great for long time keeping as they go well with cottons or silks and even on a simple gold chain would look great.

Bangles in Fashion

Friends these days I feel so tired after a days long work. Moreover it is raining here intermittently sometimes heavy, sometime just drizzling mostly highly overcast. All this is making me lazy. My niece also suffered from fever for the past one week or so. So I had to look after her by sitting her bed side through out the nights. With all these I dont feel like getting up in the morning from my bed...:) :).  I am unable to post much..though I have loads and loads to share with you.

My TAST10 and Butterfly Sampler have been kept on the back burner for want of time and energy. I have bought loads of beads and other material for making necklaces. Have planned to embroider my saris...Oh God I have so much to do...so many creative designs keep on churning in my mind. I don't even have time to jot them down. 

Any way just a snippet to share with you. Recently when I was scouring the markets I found some metal bangles. These days they are a rage here. they are available in rainbow colours, pastel shades regular colours, some plain, some with glitters, some with gold dots and so on. The colours are beautiful  and match our saris or dresses well.  So we have lots of colours to choose from They are very thin and we have to buy at least a dozen.  They make beautiful tinkling sound when worn. I love that. The cost is very cheap. Since they are metallic they are durable. we need not fear that they may break. You can also combine two or more colours depending upon the sari or dress you are wearing. So here is a glimpse.

See the colours and how various colours can be combined.

This is a simple metal bangles with some design on it. These are also available in many colours and designs.

Hope you like them...keep watching...some more next time....

Learn With Me-Making of Necklace-2

Blue and Gold Metallic Beads

Friends, I have been extensively scouring the jewellery market-not the precious metals or gems kind -latest in fashion like beads, crystals etc. which are less expensive but more in vogue. With the prices of gold and silver increasing day by day, these beads have gained popularity. Moreover, since these are stringed they can be redone in a different design if one gets bored by the present one.

My visits to these market is enabling me in absorbing the new trends and fashions. I have realised so much can be learnt just by watching other customers, shopkeepers..and so on. Especially when I meet the designers, whether young and up coming, amateurs or even professionals who visit these bazaars I realise that I can learn so much. I love to watch what they are buying, strike up a conversation with them about the latest fashions. I have learnt about the types and varieties of raw material being used in making of this kind of jewellery, right colour combinations and much more.

Any way here is my second project:

Required:

Metallic beads 50 numbers

Gold coloured metallic beads  51 numbers

Wire or String

Clasp

Method:


These metallic Beads are available in three or four colours all pastel-as a pack of 25. I bought two packs of Blue colour. Gold beads which I have used in between the beads are available in various sizes and varieties; mostly round or somewhat oval. They are available in plain, matte finish, cutting designs etc. 

• Decide the length of the necklace you want and cut the string accordingly after allowing an extra five inches or so for attaching the clasp. I prefer to string the beads first without cutting the wire or string. This way we can cut off the required length after attaching the clasp without any wastage.
• The length of my necklace is just enough to circle my neck. that is I have not made a long chain.
• First string in a gold bead then metallic coloured bead followed by a gold bead and so on...till all the beads are finished off.
• Join the clasp on both the ends by securing the string/wire tightly .
• I have not used any pendant as I could not find any matching or complementing the blue beads. You can add a pendant.

Here are the pictures...

Blue Metallic beads

Gold Beads. You can see the cut design on them. The cutting on these beads reflects light and makes them appear more shiny than the plain ones.

This is how I string cutting the string only in the end.

This is the finished product.


How do you like it? Isn't this easy? 


This is not only easy to make but less costly as compared to those which we buy ready made. This also allows us to create the way we want it and also gives us immense satisfaction of wearing our own creations.

Learn With Me -Making of Necklace

Friends I have been bitten by this bug-Jewellery making. :) :) 

This is the  first time I am trying my hand at making some....

Here is the first  attempt....

Its very simple one, as I dont have any experience or fancy tools with me...I used what I could find in my brother's tool kit. Here is how to make it:

Required:

White metallic bead studded with white stones :

Big size     -1 (one)

Medium sized  -  40 numbers

Gold coloured buttons studded with stones- small size -43 numbers

Silver coloured square bits studded with white stones smallest size-2 numbers

0.45mm wire of sufficient length

Clasp-one

Pliers

Method:

These are the ball shaped beads made of white metal and studded with white stones. I chose one big one for the center and forty small ones twenty on each side.

These beads have holes like this.

Then I selected some gold plated buttons (I don't know what to call them) which are studded with small white stones on the sides. 

These are white metallic squares with stones studded on its side.

This is the gold plated clasp-or rather hook and rings.

• First string a gold button then a small silver bead
• String twenty silver beads with a gold button after every silver bead 
• Now string  one silver square
• Now string the big silver bead followed by the silver square and the gold button
• String the remaining twenty small silver beads followed bye a  gold button
• Now pass the string into last one of the rings on one side of the clasp. Wind it to the ring four five times pulling tightly. Now bring the wire down (just after the last gold button) and wind tightly around the re two three times .
• now hold up the string on the other side so that all the beads come to the side where you have wounded it to the clasp. See that there is no gap left any where in between
• Now pass this side of the string through the ring on the other side of the clasp and wind it once pulling it tightly so that there is no space left between the beads and the ring. Wind it three four times. Bring it down and wind it to the string (holding the beads) two or three times pulling very tightly
• Cut off the extra string on both sides of the clasp as nearest as you can and slightly press the ends with pliers so that they don't pierce when you are handling them or wearing them
• You can also use an ordinary cotton thread that can hold the weight of the beads or nylon thread or fishing wire. I am surprised that fishing wire is available in various sizes and colours.

The end product looks like this. Oh I just placed them in heart shape that's all. Sorry friends I could not photograph them well. Try as I might, the reflection from the stones made it difficult to capture them clearly. This I feel is simple but elegant without being loud. The length is just enough to loosely circle the throat. You can adjust it according to your choice.

The White beads are available in three sizes. The big one I used in the center and the medium ones I used for the rest of the necklace. A smaller size is also available. Also these ones are available in multi coloured stones studded in silver or gold coloured metal. 

Similarly the gold buttons and the silver buttons are available in round and square shapes and different sizes but studded with white stones. I have not found any with multi coloured stones.

All these beads are a bit costly but worth it for party wear specially with a black dress..

Friends hope you like this. I will post more . The latest in fashion in jewelery .......Keep a watch on my blog.

I am excited!

Hi friends. I am excited. This week end I shopped till I was exhausted. You know I did a thorough window shopping and then bought some of what I looked at. Now I am talking about the establishments, laces,  beads, threads.....and other craft materials...:) :)

I am going to do some latest work on my saris. I just need a good two or three days at a stretch without any disturbance. You know or else I loose the track of my creativity, thoughts, ideas, the excitement.... Hmmm! I am not so lucky. But let us see what happens.

I am soooooo excited...I picked up some fabulous things. Oh by the way I am going to try my hand in making some jewellery.

Surprised? Thats me! Trying my hand at oddest things. Well I will first give it a try. I do design some pieces for my friends and my sister but  making it-I used to leave that to professionals. But this time I want to do it on my own. Some simple things. Let us see how I fare. If I like it. I will really give it a go.

Oh do keep an eye on my blog, as I am going to introduce you to some of the latest fashions in jewellery .....

Ear Rings

Friends I could not post Day 10 of the Butterfly Sampler. There is some problem with my pictures. I will set right and post shortly. But meanwhile have a look at the cute ear rings.

 These are danglers, enamel paint on silver. Would look good with silver jewellery.

These are fancy type for my niece. Available in some other colours too. This looks good for children and teenagers. Quite informal.

This is how it looks at close.

Aren't these cute? 

Bangles-New additions to my Jewellery

These are some new additions to my Jewellery-Bangles. I love stone bangles because they don't loose their shine for a long time and they are never out of fashion. With matching stone ear rings and other accessories, they will look good with any dress or sari.

These are light blue stones. I have some saris and dresses in this colour.

These are multi coloured stones. these days Multi coloured stones are a rage and go well with any coloured dress. I have  some ear rings and necklaces to match these.

This one I loved the moment I saw it. I love earthy tones of browns and terracotta. Have a sari in dark brown colour. I am working on it. Will soon post. Any way this matches that.

A set of four bangles in multi coloured stones-can be combined with glass bangles to match the dress.

Now here are the bangles made with beads on metal. There some beautiful colours like white, green-Light and dark, Blue-light and dark, red, orange etc. I picked up few colours. They can be combined to match the colour of the dresses or saris.

Green and cream

Orange with cream.This will match this sari.

The cream coloured sari with orange border.

All the three colours together. These match Silk saris with rich Pallus. So I bought them.These can also be combines with glass bangles.

I have this habit of window shopping and when ever I come across something to match my requirement, I buy it. That way I have been building up my collections.

Bangles

Bangles one of the jewelry unique to Indians. Its known as Chudi in Hindi and Gazulu in Telugu. They were known to Indian women since ancient times and formed part of traditional jewelry. The bangles along with the Bindi (dot worn on fore head of vermilion) are the indications of the married status of Indian women especially Hindu women.

Shapes, Sizes and Numbers:

Bangles are usually circular in shape and are not flexible where as the flexible type are known as bracelets.

These days we have bangles which are square triangular and other shapes too. There are also danglers attached to the bangles.

The sizes are 2.4, 2.6 and 2.8 inches diameter.

Usually Bangles are worn as pair or six or twelve. One thicker bangle may also be worn. The Women of Lambadas (Gypsies) of Andhra Pradesh, Ahirs from Rajasthan and Rabari from Gujarath wear huge bangles made of ivory along with silver ones almost from their upper arms till their wrists.

Materials:

Bangles are made of precious metals like gold, silver, platinum (these days), studded with gems, pearls, corals beads etc. Ancient times, bangles were made of shell materials, gold, silver, bronze, copper, Pancha loha (mixture of five metals), iron, terracotta, wood, ivory camel and other bones and other materials. Even in modern times this continues. Now bangles made of glass, rubber and plastic and other inexpensive metals have also been in fashion. bangles made of lac and silk thread, are also popular. Bangles are being adorned by multi coloured stones, kundans, beads, cowrie shells and danglers etc. Meenakari bangles are the metal (gold silver or ordinary) ones on which there is inlay of enamel paint. Gold plated bangles are a huge hit as they look like gold and come at a very less price. but they need gold plating form time to time and should not come into contact with water or cannot be worn daily.

While the poor wear the plastic and rubber ones which are cheaper, the rich wear the gold and bangles made of precious metals and gems. But the rich and poor women alike love the glass bangles.

It is believed that the manufacturing of glass bangles were started by the Moghuls. Ferozabad near Delhi was where these glass bangles were born which first used to manufacture chandeliers and lamps.

The popularity of glass bangles was due to the myriad colours that could be manufactured. Reds, greens, blues purples and as many shades of the colours that one can imagine of can be produced. The tinkling sounds made by these glass bangles and the colours that can match the colour of the dress perhaps made it so popular, that even the rich women wear it with their gold bangles. More over our tradition also makes it a compulsion that a woman must wear glass bangles no matter how rich she is. This is especially so on the occasions of marriages, and other festivities when women are gifted and supposed to wear glass bangles.

These are from my collection. You can see the bangles made of lac, glass and studded with stones. The red and green ones with gold designs are more popular.

These are the bangle stands. They are made of wood. You can see rainbow colours from my collection. I love wearing them to match my dress.

Here are stone studded bangles.

These are stone studded ones on metal.

This is the Meenakari bangle. I have a black and white sari and dresses to go with it.

These are the ones made with silk thread. These can be custom made to match your dress. The set you can see consists of bangles, ear rings and necklace.

These are the bangles worn by our Lambada women-the gypsies of Andhra Pradesh. See the danglers attached with ghungroo which make a pleasant sound. These are made of silver.

Marriages and Festivities:

Bangles form an important part of jewelery for girls and women at every stage in their life. When girls come of age, there is a ceremony where they are presented with glass bangles and other costly ones like gold by those who can afford to along with other pieces of jewelry. All the close relatives especially the maternal uncles and aunts, do gift her so that she can have a sizable amount of gold and silver by the time she gets married.

Marriage is an occasion where women wear bangles and are gifted by the relatives and friends alike with bangles.Women from Punjab wear white made of ivory and red bangles studded with stones known as Chooda. Women from Bengal wear bangles made of conch shell and plastic, a combination of white and red colours. In Andhra Pradesh the Muslim women wear a set (dozen) bangles of gold colour made of glass known as Sonabai Chudiyan and Hindu women wear green and red glass bangles. The green is for prosperity and red for happy married life.

In Andhra there is ceremony for women expecting a child and during this, all the women (relatives , friends and neighbors) who attend the ceremony not only present bangles but put them on the hands of the expecting mother. Thi is supposed to be very good for the to be born child.

Girls and women alike buy and wear bangles on all festivals like Teez, Karva Chauth in North India and Dassera, Deepavali, Taddi of South India.

Bangle Sellers

In olden days, the bangle sellers were so famous. they used to carry glass bangles in wooden boxes or in a cloth bundle. The women would eagerly await his arrival. Once they made their choice he would deftly put them on their hands which is bit of a difficult task to wear glass bangles by ourselves. One could buy them when they visited temples or during the carnivals held on special occasional. Even today near all the temples in South India shops sell bangles. It is considered as auspicious to offer, sari, blouse, bangles, turmeric, vermilion and flowers to the Goddess in the temple.Then there are vendors selling on push carts which are in vogues even to this day.

It is no wonder that entire areas in old parts of many cities are famous for their shop selling bangles like the Ferozabad-famous for its manufacturing of glass bangles and is known as Suhag Nagari. Chandini Chowk of Delhi, Chowk of Lucknow, Maniharan in Jaipur and our own Lad Bazaar from Hyderabad is famous for the bangles. Jaipur and Hyderabad are very well known for their bangles made of Lac and Hyderabad is also famous for its golden coloured glass bangles known as Sonabai ki chudi.


This is a stall in an exihibition selling bangles.

Bangles -glass or metal or plastic are sold by the dozen (12 numbers) or half dozen (6 numbers).The costlier and thicker ones may be sold on or two or four in number.

The bangles are so popular a jewelry in India that many songs have been written on them and the beauty of the women adorning them including the songs in movies, titles of the movies, sentimental scenes involving them and so on.... Is it any wonder our poetess Sarojini Naidu, The Nightingale of India wrote a poem titled the Bangle sellers? here is it for you......

The Bangle sellers

Bangle sellers are we who bear
Our shining loads to the temple fair...
Who will buy these delicate, bright
Rainbow-tinted circles of light?
Lustrous tokens of radiant lives,
For happy daughters and happy wives.

Some are meet for a maiden's wrist,
Silver and blue as the mountain mist,
Some are flushed like the buds that dream
On the tranquil brow of a woodland stream,
Some are aglow wth the bloom that cleaves
To the limpid glory of new born leaves

Some are like fields of sunlit corn,
Meet for a bride on her bridal morn,
Some, like the flame of her marriage fire,
Or, rich with the hue of her heart's desire,
Tinkling, luminous, tender, and clear,
Like her bridal laughter and bridal tear.

Some are purple and gold flecked grey
For she who has journeyed through life midway,
Whose hands have cherished, whose love has blest,
And cradled fair sons on her faithful breast,
And serves her household in fruitful pride,
And worships the gods at her husband's side.

So what do you think?