Pearls

My mum was visiting from Sydney, Australia for the past few weeks and wouldn't you know it, one strand of her pearls broke.  It was the inside strand that had come loose from the clasp. You can see it in the picture below.

I looked at the necklace and noticed that the silk thread had stretched. The necklace was about six years old so it wasn't too surprising. The entire necklace would need to be reknotted. My mum then told me that the necklace was heavy and had a tendency to flop around. So I floated the idea of shortening it and using the pearls that I took out to make a pair of earrings. My mum loved the idea because I had already made her a pair of pearl dangle earrings in gold filled wire. The pearls are hanging on handmade chain and earwires.

Next I cut the necklace apart and arranged the pearls in three strands and we carefully selected six pearls for removal: two each of the white, peach, and purple. We looked at the strands again and agreed to take out another four pearls that were all white.

Then I restrung the pearls on stretched silk thread and knotted the three strands. I find pearl knotting very relaxing. I used french wire to protect ends from fraying where they joined the clasp. My mum is very happy as the clasp now nestles into the dip at the side of her neck. She also loves the way the three strands now drape. The necklace no longer flops around as it is shorter. 

We then talked about the earrings and my mum wanted them to hang differently from her gold pair. She wanted them to hang from a loop at different lengths but also wanted movement. So I drew up a design and made up a prototype dangle in copper which she liked and then I got to work making the earrings in sterling silver. After making the earwires I then made hoops to hang the pearls from. I then made the pearl dangles. 

Cheers, 
Vicki