November 15, 2012

My Million Dollar Bracelet - Metal Prong Challenge Reveal


Ta and Da!  This may not look like a million dollar bracelet, but let me assure you, it is.  It is because I made it - every little bit of it.  It all started when the Metal Team at Artisan Whimsy issued a challenge.  Try a new technique, they said.  We'll show you how to do it, they said.  Easy, peasy, they said.  Uh huh.  Well, I fell for it.  I read the Easy Prong Setting Tutorial by Staci Louise Smith.  I studied all the pictures.  Cut a piece of metal a little bigger than the piece you want to mount, drill some holes to put your rivets through and solder them in place.  Ta da.  I think I can do that.  I didn't have any metal sheets on hand and couldn't find any locally (not even at the farm store!) but I did have an oval shaped brass connector I thought would work.  I found a pretty cab (in my favorite color, of course) and I had some rivets I'd purchased one other time I thought I might attempt metal work.


Here's the part where I'm going to fast forward a bit.  I'm going to skip the whole morning I spent in the garage trying to drill three little holes and solder three itty bitty, blankety-blank rivets into place.  It sounds so easy but my Dremel kept trying to skitter right off the plate and the solder wouldn't stick.  I finally got them soldered, but had to sand down the three and a half pound mounds of solder gobbed all over the place.  I'll admit it.  I cussed.  I did, however, end up with this:


It might not look like much to you, but I'm mighty attached to it.  After all we've been through together, this little plate and I are bonded.  We're tight.  So I slapped in my cab & bent the prongs to hold it in.  I probably could have used prongs with a bit more length, but I tested the piece pretty strenuously and the cab won't slip out, so I guess I'm good.


Now, I'll also admit that at this point my inclination was to revert to something known and comfortable and put a macrame band on this.  But, having come this far, I figured "in for a penny, in for a pound."  I had some beautiful teal beads on hand (thank you Shelley!) and I decided to mess with some wire working.  I did a few wire wrapped loops and even did some where the wire wraps up and around the bead (I'm not sure what you call that, but I tried it!).  I made a wire spiral just to say I did.  I even made little rosette thingies by linking three jump rings together.  



And then?  I attempted to make my own clasp.  I found a Wrapped S Clasp Tutorial  by Francesca Watson and gave it a whirl:


I thought I was all finished, but decided it needed a little movement, so I hung a Czech glass flower and a brass leaf near the focal.


It's not perfect, but I'm pretty proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone.  And if I were going to sell this piece, the price would be a cool mil:)


Be sure to stop by and check out the other participants:

The Beading Yogini, http://www.thebeadingyogini.com
Carolyn Dewison, Blue Berri Beads, http://blueberribeads.co.uk/
Mary Harding, Mary Harding Jewelry, http://www.maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com
Dawn Horner, Northern Adornments, http://northernadornments.blogspot.com/
Gina Hockett, Freestyle Elements, http://freestyleelements.blogspot.com
Heidi Kingman, My Bead Therapy, http://mybeadtherapy.blogspot.com
Alicia Marinache, All the Pretty Things, http://www.allprettythings.ca/
Melissa Muir, Melissa Muir Jewelry, http://design.kcjewelbox.com/
Melinda Orr, Melinda Orr Designs, http://orrtec.blogspot.com/
Staci Louise Smith, Staci Louise Originals, http://www.stacilouiseoriginals.com/
Sherri Stokey, Knot Just Macrame, www.KnotJustMacrame.com  <-----You are here
Jo Tinley, Daisy Chain Designs Jewellery, http://www.daisychaindesignsjewellery.blogspot.com
Francesca Watson, Francesca Watson Designs, http://www.francescawatson.com

29 comments:

  1. Good Job Sherri! The idea to also use a "blank" is making me think of what shaped blanks I have in my stash, good work-around there! I think you did an awesome job on all the extra elements you added in to challenge yourself. .....and the cab, well...who wouldn't pay a cool "mil" for that!

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    1. I have some brass sheets on order (*sigh* - oh, to have a local bead store...) and a project in mind using this technique for another piece, so I do intend to try again :)

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  2. Perseverance has paid off... you ended up with a beautiful piece ... and learnt new skills on the way... great job. Love the cab colour.
    jenni

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  3. OK, seriously? I got a little choked up reading this. I've used more than my fair share of bowling words figuring out this whole metal thing (and I'm not there yet) but HOLY COW this is a gorgeous piece. Worth every minute, every swear word, and every gob of solder that didn't wind up where you wanted it. And thank you for making use of that old "S" clasp tutorial - it makes me happier than I can tell you that you found it and that it was helpful. GREAT JOB!!!!!

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    1. I don't know - you might have learned a new bowling word or two if you'd been around:) I loved your clasp tut - you make it look so easy - and that at least gave me the courage to try it.

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  4. I love it. I think the soldering part was the most fun. Your bracelet is beautiful. I love your telling of how you made this.

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  5. Really beautiful bracelet and I love the colour!

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    1. It's my favorite color. I have two buckets of beads in teal/aqua/turquoise LOL

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  6. OMG! Are you serious? THIS IS ABSOLUTELY the most beautiful bracelet I have seen in many-a-dayz! And I AM NOT Joshin' you. The colors of the beads and focals (ya know I LOVE) but the brass metal just sets them off. AND your riveting well, you go girl (proud friend, for sure!) AND your wire wrapping is OFF THE CHAIN (well its actually the chain) from the chainmaille rosettes, to the wire-wrapped beads! AND the coiled closure is really really nice! I AM BLOWN AWAY. The top photo will be featured in my new studio's wall gallery. I love love love...and I am for real, real, real. You did an AWESOME job on this challenge - are you SURE you never did this before?! WOW!

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  7. If I should ever visit you... I suggest you put this bracelet under lock and key! AND submit this to a magazine!!

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  8. Awesome bracelet. Fun branching out and using other supplies isn't it? I started off my journey wire wrapping and then went on to other techniques. Can never have too many tricks up your sleeve;)

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  9. Your working technique sounds just like mine Sherri ;) It was all worth it though, your bracelet is gorgeous!

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  10. Sherri, this is absolutely devine. From one turquoise lover to another! Don't you dare put a price on it. Just enjoy your priceless piece all yourself!

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  11. LOL! I often say if I priced my pieces based on how long they took they'd cost a million! Its wonderful. And I think by saying you and your piece bonded, you hit it on the head. There is something about using a torch, and sanding, and hammering metal, that puts YOU into that piece! It's great, and kudo's on sanding the excess solder, that part stinks, and I have had to do it many times as well! Great job!

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  12. Beautiful piece, the turquoice really pops! I really enjoyed ready about your journey.

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  13. Great post ! Great Piece !
    I agree,you should definitely keep this and wear it with pride !
    m.e. :)

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  14. Oh Miss Sherry! That post - and that bracelet - is priceless! I would have struggled mightily with this one. The soldering most of all. But I am glad you persisted and even took another step outside your macrame walled box to do all the fantastic wire wrapping! I am very partial to using that little rosette technique all over the place ;-) The blue of that stone is magnificent and you should be very proud of this! Enjoy the day. Erin

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  15. Sherry,

    "Ta and Da" indeed! This is beautiful. That stone is beautiful and the blues are beautiful against the antiqued brass of the metal. Your post was so well written, you always are so entertaining. It is a joy to visit your blog. I thoroughly enjoyed this challenge and some beautiful and thoughtfully creative work came from it. Great job!

    Jean

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  16. Your setting is fantastic and I love all the elements and tiny details. It is a beautiful piece.

    Melissa

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  17. I really enjoyed reading the process by which you created this beautiful bracelet. Every element works so well together. Sometimes stepping out of that comfort zone enriches us in so many ways!

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  18. That is absolutely beautiful Sherri! The wirework is gorgeous with the turquoise, and I loved reading your post!

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  19. Great post! Your bracelet is just gorgeous and worth every minute you invested in designing it -- and I bet you feel like a million with it wrapped around your wrist!!

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  20. very nice! I think a million isn't quite enough, when you factor in the blood and sweat! The cab is beautiful, and the bracelet really compliments it.

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  21. Sherri,

    What a beautiful bracelet. I love the colors and all the different metal and bead ideas.

    You should be proud indeed!

    Julie

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  22. Congratulations on jumping out of your comfort zone and creating a beautiful bracelet! I am soldering-challenged myself, so you deserve a pat on the back for trying again and again!

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  23. I love the color combinations and the bracelet looks gorgeous!

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  24. I have a lot of Million $ jewellery too! Sometimes it's worth the persitance sometimes I just wish I'd quit before I ever started! Yours was worth finishing!

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  25. I just love it! The color and the way it all flows together is perfect.

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