lo and behold

I’m making great progress on my necklace designs.  I’m doing choker style pieces with links, like the gold one in this photo.  I insert a stiff piece of wire through each bead crochet tube and each bead and then link them together.  I found a lovely gold-plated clasp that I think is just the right size and simplicity to go with the design.  The gemstone beads in the gold necklace are a matte, mottled mustard yellow which makes a really interesting contrast to the more shiny gold in the bead crochet.  

I am especially fond of the black necklace, which is longer and has no clasp.  It slips over the head and can be worn with any segment or bead in the center front.  I like the bead crochet that has all three colors best and I wear it in the front, but different wearers can do it in different ways.  I really like that adaptability and personalization when I think about selling these pieces.  The spiral beads are sterling silver and are sewn in with the same thread that I use for the bead crochet. In this style necklace, the bead crochet remains soft and flexible, unlike the links in the other necklace which are straight and sturdy. 

I really like these two. They work dressed up and dressed down, but because they are gold-ish and silver-ish, they have a certain elegance.  Other necklaces I am working on right now are an aqua blend bead crochet with silver accents in the longer, flexible style of the black necklace, a rainbow necklace with short links of bead crochet and  Lucite beads, and a purple necklace in which the beads are made but I haven’t yet found the right accents beads.  Fun, fun, fun!