To start, I braided hand-dyed silk cord. My braid was pretty loose and sloppy, but it didn't really matter, because as individual beads are stitched on, it tightens and holds together the braid more securely. Basically the needle "wandered" around and I randomly selected seed beads, sewing them on without too much of a plan. I have done this design in the past, stitching the beads closely together, creating a bumpy, riverbed effect. For this design, I wanted to spread them out a little to showcase the blend of colors in the silk cord braid. This process also gave the piece a studded look, like thorns on a vine.
Once I finished sewing beads on, I added the fine pewter cones from my family at Green Girl Studios. I used a bit of wire on each end to attach an extender chain and the lobster claw clasp. I used a dollop of Super Glue to further attach the ends of the braided silk cord to the bumpy cones. To add a decorative flourish, I added a wire-wrapped dangle strung with a Swarovski crystal bead in Air Blue Opal.
The great thing about self-directed challenges like this is that you can dip in and out of the prompts and participate when you're struck by prompt or when you have extra time. It can be done in order or out of order. For the entire listing of prompts, CLICK HERE.
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