Friday, April 6, 2012

The Big Cellini Reveal!

I thought this day would never get here! I have a nice, clean workbench for the first time in over 6 weeks, with NO little piles of seed beads anywhere, plus a finished necklace!



This shows more detail of the complicated freeform peyote stitching I designed to connect the 2 Cellini tubes across the middle of the necklace, while suspending the stunning lampwork focal. There are freshwater pearls, mother-of-pearl beads, and Czech fire polish beads woven in there, in addition to the seed beads. A Bali style sterling silver elbow tube supports the focal.


For those of you new to this project, if you want to read the various steps this necklace went through in its design evolution, here they are:

The beginning: let's make a simple Cellini spiral necklace, using a mixture of metallic-colored seed beads.
Oh, crap: The Cellini spiral is too rigid to bend into a necklace. Now what?
The decision: I'll make 2 Cellini tubes, and somehow connect them into a necklace. And look! I found a matching focal bead! But I have to cap the tubes, somehow...
The freeform connection: Will it work?
Beyond the Cellini tubes: How do I finish this necklace in the back?
Holy Cow: this necklace needs a matching clasp!


And finally, it's available in my Etsy shop. And I must say, it truly is stunning!

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Magnificent! The beadwork is lovely & lends itself well to Pam's focal.

Sandra said...

Oh wow, you really went all out on this one, I love how it turned out! And that focal is such a perfect match.

H.T. said...

Ta-da-daam!...and...The Big Cellini Necklace has been revealed:-)
I love it.I think,You had lots of problems with such a great project,but the final effect is worth all the effort.
Beautiful colors,fine,original focal element,very beautiful pearl endings of the spiral and-of course te closure -my favorite 'system'-the beaded button and the loop:-)
I love YOUr Cellini necklace-it's not only impressive,but very unique and decorative as well.
Warm,Warm Greets-Halinka-

Karin Slaton said...

Masterful! Another fabulous design and I've SO enjoyed the fact that you shared your process with us. Each post on this piece was a joy to read, view and learn from!

Maggie said...

Stunning! So worth everything along the way. Has Pam seen this? Is it hard to part with creations that you put your heart, soul, frustrations, time... into? Or is it one of those things, that if you list it right away, you don't have time to ponder?

Sweet Freedom said...

Maggie, the answer to your second question is complicated. For one, I have been sort of sick of looking at this piece day in and day out for the last few weeks, as it lay on my workbench, MOCKING ME! And while I really love it, and Pam's bead, it the necklace itself really isn't my color palette at all; i favor blues, purples, reds, or greens. This ine is too neutral for bold me. And thirdly, I gots bills to pay! So it needs to go! Although, listing it and selling it are 2 vastlt different things. LOL!

And yes, Pam has seen it!