The Carnevale necklace...

I made Carnevale today as a way to cheer myself up a bit. Maybe because I have been home for so long and not feeling very well, I tried to pick a theme that could perhaps make me happier, who knows... I also tried some new "techniques" here. Namely, using two twisted, interlaced threads, something like two necklaces together united by the focal bead and some crimps here and there.

It was quite hard, because the lengths of the two strings really need to be measured and well calculated first. I wanted a short necklace, almost like a choker. In this sense, I have succeeded.
Again, I worked with Miyuki Delicas that are very, very tiny. I love them but I'm afraid my eyes are not as good anymore - and that, even after my new reading glasses. Alarming!

Here is Carnevale:

It looks nice. However, I decided to put these two pictures together because the 1st one does not really make it justice, or show it in as much detail as the 2nd one. And in the neck it looks so much better! And like a little curtain, draping over your shoulder bone, quite different from the others. I could perhaps make an extension chain for it - in case people prefer it longer. For the moment it will stay as it is, it's good for a change.

For Carnevale, I used:

- Large Murano sofiatto bead, transparent with red, yellow, green and aqua stripes;
- Two large light Siam Swarovski bicones;
- Red Sea coral beads interspersed with round small red Murano beads and golden Swarovski bicones;
- Small clear Murano beads;
- Gold-lined teeny Czech beads;
- Gold-plated Tibetan flower spacers, stardust bronze round spacers and gold-plated smooth ones, along with antique gold lantern- shaped beads surrounding the big Murano;
- Czech red and gold bugles in one of the threads and inside the sofiatto;
- Several (and that means "lots") Miyuki Delicas in gold shade, size 15 (the smallest);
- Tibetan antique gold hook clasps;
- Gold-plated crimps and metallic gold stainless steel wire.

Details to follow...


On the left the lovely blown glass bead, and the bugles underneath. We can also see one of the lantern-shaped spacers. On the right, a tightly twisted section of the necklace (closer to the clasp), showing the Miyukis in detail, along with some red bugles, Czech gold-lined small seed beads and smooth gold-plated spacers. Right above it, we can see some of the clear Murano beads, one of the red ones and a coral bead, interspersed with Swarovski golden bicones and golden spacers.


On the left, detail of the coral beads, red Muranos, and Swarovski bicones, again along with red bugles, gold-plated spacers and golden Miuki Delicas. The picture on the right shows one of the large Swarovski bicones and more of the Muranos, coral, Delicas and bugles.


On this picture, a detail of the Murano beads, different spacers, Delicas, Czech seed beads and bugles.


Finally, a detail of the clasp, which was a bit harder to make than my usual clasps. This is because it is a double string necklace. I had to crimp the ends 4 times (since I have 2 "necklaces" here) and hook the clasp to two twist rings (similar to the large ones used for key-rings). Since these are quite hard and not the least flexible I had to ask for Mark's help. They may not be easy to work with but are very safe. I have a bunch of them and only now, after using it for the 1st time, I understand why they are considered so handy!