Mix Media Necklace: Warm My Heart ・ClearlyHelena

For this mix media necklace “Warm My Heart”, I will start with the detailed finished project. Virtually all the components have been created from scratch. I will detail how to make them in the later part of this article for those of you who are curious.

Mix Media Necklace “Warm My Heart” (CH0347)

Mix Media Necklace “Warm My Heart” (CH0347)

Idea for the Mix Media Necklace

As usual, we start with a very rough sketch of the percolating idea.

Main Focal Component

Lets see how the main focal component was created.

Here, there are 2 detailed photos of the finished component. Photos taken from marginally different angle so to give a better idea of findings and beads used in its creation.

: Bead Bezel with Filigree; How To

Please see: full steps on how to bead bezel cab with filigree.

Fabric Backed Cabochon

Some simple steps on creating the fabric backed cabochon. Choose some fabric that will match your colour scheme. All you need to start is the fabric, glass cabs, and glue. I used E6000 here.

Choose a suitable pattern on the fabric and mark around the glass cab.

To work bead bezel on a background material, that background material has to be fairly strong and firm. Most fabrics are not. Mine here is a stretchy material, so definitely not sufficient on its own as a backing material. Therefore I am using a piece of strong felt to be glued on to the back of the fabric (at the back of where you have marked for the cab).

Tip: when you glue the felt piece on, make sure that the glue is only around the center and not to the edges. We do not want to bead bezel through glue. That will make your needle very unhappy!

Then glue the felt backing to the back of the material.

Next glue the glass cab onto the front of the material. Again, do not glue beyond the circumference of the glass cab. Let dry.

When it is ready, bead bezel round in anyway you choose.

I finished the back of these fabric-backed cabs by gluing onto metal filigree. It makes the finish on the back look much better. And provides me with hole to be used as connection points.

This is becoming too long an article to document, so I will be rushing through the making of the rest of the handmade components. There will be enough photos to give you a good idea.

Filigreed Swarovski Navette Stone

I used Gilder’s Paste to colour the metal filigree to create a more matching finish. (This is later sealed with Swellegant Clear Sealant).

I will be bead bezelling around the Swarovski navette stone. This will be done on a firm stiff backing. I (optionally) coloured the size I will needed so that no white should show through when I bead bezel.

Attach Swarovski Sew-on Navette stone to stiff backing. Bead around as desired.

Glue onto metal filigree backing. (Here, I used Araldite epoxy for maximum strength.) When dry, seal the metal filigree with Swellegant Clear Sealant.

Thus far, we have finished the following components. And must carry on …

Wire Woven Component

Tip: Start pinning up components to get a better feel of how things are hanging together, so to speak.

More handmade components …

Tip: For the following, the round filigree is folded in half. It would be much better to mark center line, then weave in the elements, then fold in half. That way, any weaving lines on the back will be hidden.

The next square shaped beaded bezel is made with round, vintage Mother of Pearl buttons. I have also added in closed jump rings when doing the bead weaving. They will be needed for the link connections in the necklace piece.