I'm not really interested (yet!) in metal work. I like found or recycled materials and cloth. Here are some examples of necklaces and earrings I've been making out of used bicycle inner tubes.
I'm using the old inner tubes cut into pieces and attached to an elastic cording I get from WAWAK. It's inexpensive and comes in a huge roll.
I start with a length of cord that feels long enough, maybe a little longer, than I need and make a sliding jeweler's knot so I can change the length if I want to.
Then I cut about 5-7" of elastic cord and use a big needle to attach two squares to each length.
Then I tie them on.
Simple and effective. Light and fun.
I've made two, one with slightly larger squares.
And then I moved on to earrings. I am in a jewelry think tank of sorts with a few artist friends. It's so inspiring to sit with other makers and think up ideas for jewelry. None of us makes jewelry with metal. It's cloth, paper, you name it.
I got a bit carried away one day and made five pairs of earrings. I love them!
I'm also continuing to use my grandmother's buttons. Here I used cloth beads I learned from my friend, Lisa, that make a pendant on the bottom. I'm not totally satisfied with how that part looks so it's in process.
Any ideas on how to make these beads make sense? Do I need more? Another element?
And then there's always kantha cloth. This necklace was made using squares of styrofoam I patched with the cloth. This one is in process, too.
So, there you are, that's part of what I've been doing. I have two or three more posts ready to write...just no time to do it!
Enjoy the long days! Happy Summer Solstice!
