If you happened to see us on Rogers TV “Daytime Show” last week, you probably noticed that the three of us were wearing jewelry that we designed and made. Lucy was wearing a glass-fused pendant she made at “Ceramics Canada” a couple of months ago.  I was wearing the magazine rolled pendant necklace that we featured last month.  Natasha was sporting the crochet necklace that we decided to attempt this time around.  I have to say that I absolutely love the look of the crochet necklace. It is so delicate and you can wear it for any occasion. Just by changing what beads or how many you choose to add to the wire can have such an impact on the final look.

When I first mentioned it to Lucy, she had never crocheted with wire and claimed to only be able to crochet a straight chain. I reassured her that was all she needed to know, it’s that simple! So we decided to give it a try.  Well I guess I was wrong in Lucy’s eyes. She was a very good sport but she found crocheting with wire a lot more difficult than with yarn.  Getting the tension right so the loops are consistent when using wire takes some patience, the wire has less “give” or flexibility than yarn. Make sure you use a fine gauge, you can find some nice gold, copper and silver plated ones to compliment any look.

I think if you have crocheted before and enjoy it….unlike Lucy, you have to give this project a try.  Cut your wire longer than you expect to use for the necklace.  Next, add all the beads you want to use at the beginning and pull them down to the end of your wire and crochet normally. When you want to add a bead, just pull it up the length of wire and crochet the wire loop around the bead so it stays in place.  Your bead pattern can be as random or specific as you like it. Here I made three strands, as Lucy quickly gave up her attempt on completing her strand.  We agreed that one strand on its own looked too flimsy so I braided them together.  You can also pull the strand onto a thicker gauge wire to give the necklace more shape. I finished it off with a hook and clasp. I am going to be making a bracelet and even earrings using this technique to make a complete set.

What with prom and wedding season upon us, what a fun and great way to spend some girlfriend time together creating your own jewelry accessories for your big day! If you decide to give this project a try, we’d love to see your pictures of the results so we can post them here on the blog and maybe even Pinterest! If making your own jewelry is not your cup of tea but are looking for something to stand out from everyone else, then search our site for the many talented jewelry designers, many of whom can work with you to make something to your custom specifications.

Here are some gorgeous necklaces using this technique made by Hidden Lake Designs  for sale on our page.  “ All of my profits are donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help find a cure and improve the quality of life of those who suffer from blood cancers and their families. Hidden Lake is the name of a quiet little lake in the Laurentian mountains of Quebec, one of my favourite places to be and where I draw much of my inspiration in the natural designs of the landscapes and scenes that surround me.”   

Next month we will try to make “fascinators”….you know, those lovely headwear accessories made famous by the royals.  We challenge all of you to make your own fascinators and feel like a royal…then share the results with us!