Vintage Wooden Spool Challenge inspires an Artisan Necklace

October 09, 2013
 
For those that follow me regularly you've already met my chocolate angel, Christine.  She's the talent behind One Kiss Creations and the mastermind of the Vintage Wooden Spool Blog Hop Challenge.
 
Christine is calling it a rolling blog hop, because the participants will be posting on different dates based on when they're ready.  That's a nice low stress jewelry component challenge!
 
For this challenge, Christine generously sent me these goodies:
 
 
 
The only required component we had to use was at least one of the vintage wooden spools she'd found on an antiquing jaunt.  Although I've got some ideas for the two dagger stone beads, they're going to have to wait for a little longer.  I love the white stone beads and may just string them simply, but I'm waiting to see if something more inspired happens.  I think I'll be using the spools again, too, because I really love the texture and warmth created with the fiber wire as you'll see below.
 

Quilter's Artisan Necklace - Lampwork, wooden spool

Sewing Talisman Necklace

Lampwork by Wee Gems

Vintage Wooden Spool

Wooly Wire

Sterling Silver rose bud

 
Now I understand how my Mom has felt when one finds "vintage" or "antique" items that one grew up with at an antique store.  Jeesh!
 
My Mom sewed all of my clothes growing up.  I had the most beautiful Christmas and Easter dresses each year.  I had matching top and short sets in the summer.  Until I think I was in 7th grade we had to wear dresses so I loved having my special ones, especially the sailor and smocked ones.  I inherited her wooden spools of thread and now maybe I know what to do with them!
 
I've been hoarding a lampwork bead for some time from Wee Gems that was made on a metal sewing bobbin.  It's definitely unique, because I've never seen one since.  How could it not be part of this special necklace?  With some designing on paper and fiddling with my stash I figured out what I was going to do and couldn't wait to finish it.
 
The first thing I did was take Mod Podge, a decoupage glue, and put several layers of it on the ends of the spool so as to save what was left of the thread labels.
 

Wooden Spool Necklace

Vintage Mother of Pearl buttons

Sterling Silver wirework hook clasp

 
The pendant made from the wooden spool and bobbin lampwork freely slide on the chain.  The beautiful sterling silver rosebud acts as a stopper at the end.
 
Vintage Mother of Pearl buttons end with one of my wire-wrapped sterling silver clasps that purposely resembles a hook from a hook and eye sewing clasp.
 
I even thought the chain looked like the linked thread that comes out of a sewing machine.  I'm not a sewer though so that could just be my imagination.
 
Multiple Length Artisan Necklace
 
The hook and chain allows this necklace to be worn at multiple lengths just by hooking into the chain at various spots.
 
Note:  I would've preferred to call this a Sewer's Talisman Necklace, but if other non-sewers like my husband happened to see the title they apparently would first think of the stinky sewer rather than the more creative sewer.
 
Thank you so much, Christine, for including me in your hop!  My bobbin lampwork bead finally found the perfect home and I was able to honor my Mom in the process.
 

Here are links to the other participants, but since this is a rolling blog you'll have to check in with them from time to time to see when they post.  Christine, as host, will be letting you know when one of us posts for this challenge.  I will also do my best to let you know, but I think you might want to check out these blogs any way!

 

Cynthia - Antiquity Travelers
Kim - Kimmy Kats
Therese - Therese's Treasures
Tanya - A Work in Progress
Bobbie - Bead Song
Liz - Bead Contagion
Maryanne - Zingala's Workshop
Karin - Backstory Beads
Lisa - Carefree Jewelry
Hope - Crafty Hope
Erin - Elysian Studio
Christine - One Kiss Creations