The Making of "Whirl"

On your left is a picture of my design "Whirl" 

currently in the gallery section of 

Marcia DeCoster's newly released book "Beads in Motion."
There are some really fun, interesting and beautiful things to create and because they move "play" with.

The theme behind Marcia's book is some part of the jewellery has to have an element of movement i.e.

spin, sway, swing or slide.

Below is the story of how this came about.

Back in March 2012, I was experimenting and created this little pendant that gave an impression of movement as it looked like it spins.

I called the pendant "Whirl" and posted a picture on Facebook. 

Marcia commented on my post asking me - Does it spin?

I was then invited by Marcia to submit a design/s for her upcoming book "Beads in Motion"

Taking what I had learnt from my first creation I made another and improved the overall look and set it on a herringbone rope.

Facebook pictures were posted and again Marcia asked

Does it spin?

My reply then was "No, but I am working on it"

Here is me "working" on the design.

If I was going to be in a book I wanted to stand out. 

I did more to the centre of the bezel and chose a brighter, more colourful palette - hot pink Matsuno seeds, bright orange czech druk beads and size 15 matt lime centre bezel.

I made a test piece and hung it from a herringbone rope (on the right) and developed the section that was going to allow this design to spin.

I made a large delica/seed bead combination triangle (on the left) with an opening in the middle of the triangle.

I created a size 15 peyote "tube" from the back of the bezelled centrepiece which fitted through the opening in the triangle. making sure it sat neatly, firmly and still able to spin.

I then increased on the tube taking it out wide so it would not fit back through the triangle opening and would still allow the spin. 

From there I created the combination Czech AB yellow gold netting with faceted green delica cross joints. 

It looks yellowish but the sheen of green comes into play when you move in the light.

I am writing this as I received my copy of Marcia's book yesterday and I can tell you 

I am thrilled to the max that little old me has created something that is printed in a REAL LIVE 

book for the world to see, not just for now, but for years to come.

Much, much gratitude to you Marcia DeCoster for your continued support since we met in 2010 

and for asking me to submit my design "Whirl"