Handmade Monday: Chain maille flowers tutorial

What a lovely week it's been since the weather got over itself on Monday.  We had a great walk yesterday at Wixford, followed by a delicious lunch at The Fish pub there.  It's been a good week for sales in the shop too, especially for bag charms, and I've made some progress updating my web site so people can design their own charm bracelets and necklaces.  The wild flower strips in the Coventry parks make you think you're in Italy!

They are actually not sunflowers but loads of these lovely flowers. Do you know what they are called?

They've inspired a tutorial this week.  Partly because I've not done one for a while and partly because I find it so easy for me to forget how to do things these days, it's handy to write them down on my blog. Also, unlike the other chain maille designs I've done, I'm not sure if anyone has done this particular flower design this way before. You usually find there is nothing new in the world of craft, so apologies if I am unwittingly copying!  Here's a daisy version of the watch style bracelet.

You'll need 11 beads and 51 jump rings for this design.  The tutorial is just for the flower - if you want to turn it into a watch style bracelet you'll need a few more jump rings in different sizes and to learn the butterfly chain maille weave.  I can cover that in another tutorial if you want. I'm using 6mm beads and 50 5mm jump rings, and one large 12mm jump ring for the centre. You need a bit of fine gauge wire too (0.4mm is good) and some beading thread. I like to use very strong jump rings, the ones I'm using here are 1.2mm gauge - Fabfifi50 on EBay is my favourite supplier for these.

Start with the 12mm jump ring. Close it and use the fine wire to wrap one of the 6mm beads in the centre, then add 10 of the 5mm jump rings to either side of the bead. 

It looks a bit messy at the moment and the centre bead will be quite loose. Don't worry about that - it will all tighten up soon.  

Next add 10 jump rings to link up in pairs the jump rings you've just put on. 

This is a very easy design but the next bit is where you could do with counting out 10 of the remaining jump rings and making sure you keep stopping to check that you're adding the jump rings on the same side of the flower.  This time you link two of the original jump rings again, but alternate ones from last time so that the next layer of jump rings lays on top of the last one. It's hard to explain, but hopefully clearer in the photo. 

The design will be really loose at the this point, so watch out for naughty jump rings trying to flip over and confuse the pattern!  The next step is to tighten the whole thing up with jump rings linking the last two layers:

Use 10 again and make sure you always link two jump rings but never go through the same jump ring twice. 

Now it's time to add the beads. Put one as a stopper bead on a long length of beading thread and then begin to sew them on, picking up one jump ring from the last layer between each bead as you go:

I find I need to go around with the thread several times to get the flower really rigid. The advantage is that you then don't need to tie or crimp the ends of the beading thread, they can just be cut.  You can see the beading thread a little but I don't think it detracts too much from the flower.

Once finished, you can add further connector jump rings as you need them.

There you go. 

Here's a link to what other crafty folk have been doing this week. 

Alison x

Wordless Wedneday: Wild flowers

The parks in Coventry have a new initiative this year to designate an area to wildflowers.  The results are stunning.  I hope the idea lasts.

New year, new jewellery

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you all had lovely holidays and are starting the new year with lots of creativity. For myself, I've mostly been making flowers recently - and why not?  They are always cheerful and popular, aren't they. Let me know which you like best. Alison x

Handmade Monday: Beaded flowers

An exciting time for Blue Forest Jewellery, as my wire rose necklace and earrings were featured in Bead Trends this month.  I'm waiting for the hard copies to arrive so I can show it to you, as the mag is only available in the States.





While I was thinking about that, I started to list and make some more wire rose items

 I took these to the filming of the BBC show 'Handmade Revolution' in Hanley at the weekend, but was too chicken to show them in the end! 










And while I was making those, some daisies popped into my head as well!

 I've been mad on flowers for a while now, and thought I'd share the technique for these beaded beauties.  I've been turning them into rings.

 Here's a quick run through how to make them.

You will need:
Monofilament
5 4mm beads in your main petal colour
1 4mm bead in your chosen centre colour
Jewellery glue (optional)

Thread three of the beads, including the centre one, on to a length of monofilament.  Cut more monofilament than you think you will need so that you have enough to feed back through the flower for strengthening at the end.

Take one end of the monofilament (it doesn't matter which) and thread it back through the two main colour beads.  Pull tight to form a triangle of beads.

Thread the other 3 main colour beads onto one end of the monofilament.  Again, it doesn't really matter which end.

Take the other end of the monofilament and go back through the 3 beads you just added.  Pull the thread tightly and the flower forms.

When you pull, the centre bead will automatically become raised as it get pushed up by the other beads.  Go through all the main colour beads as many times as you can with the monofilament and the flower will gradually strengthen.  Knot the ends or continue to work them, and add a spot of jewellery glue if desired.  Done!



Here's a link to see what other lovely crafty folk have been making this week.

Alison x

Handmade Monday: More flowers and weaving

My obsession with all things floral seems to be continuing, and at least today the sun is shining, so maybe it's working as a charm to create some good weather? Hope everyone gets some respite from the rain this week.

I find making rings challenging so I was pleased with this little one.  The rose motif is becoming a bit of a signature, and it won't be long now until I see my roses necklace which has been professionally photographed for the September edition of Bead Trends magazine.  Really looking forward to that.

This lapis bracelet has mobius flower chain maille links in between.

This woven flower turned out a bit bigger than I envisaged.  Now I'm not sure whether to make it the centrepiece of a necklace, turn it into a brooch or wire it onto a hair comb, or something else.  What do you think?

Just noticed everything is blue and brown this week  One of my favourite colour combinations, think it's because it reminds me of my chocolate Labrador in his blue collar.

Had to order more wire to finish off a project, and hoping to do a tutorial next week.  The non-jewellery makers will probably be saying 'What on earth is that?' - all will be revealed.

Here's a link to see what other lovely crafty folk have been making this week.

Alison x

Handmade Monday: Flowers everywhere

Bronzite flower bracelet

On holiday and suddenly seem to have become obsessed with making flowers - don't know why!  These are experimental pieces really, one offs for me to practice my wirework, so enjoying making them even though I  can see their flaws!

Field of flowers pendant

Lapis and pearl flowers bracelet

Hope you like them.

Here's a link to see what other lovely crafty folk have been making this week.

Alison x

Handmade Monday: wire roses

An early Handmade Monday! This week I've mostly been making roses.  And bag charms, but I guess you are fed up with seeing those (!), so here's how to make a wire rose.  Mine aren't very neat and each one turns about a bit different, but I like that.  They are not made in a factory, so why should I want them to be all the same?  That's my excuse anyway!  Here's the tutorial

You'll need:
Wire - I used about 18 inches (45 cm) for each flower and 1mm (20 gauge) wire
Round nose pliers
Chain nose pliers (optional)
Wire cutters

Step 1: Grasp the centre of the wire in the round nose pliers

Step 2: Bring each end of the wire round the pliers

Step 3: Make a twist so each piece of wire goes around the other

Step 4: Carry on the twist, bringing one piece of wire around to meet the other

Step 5: Keep the twist going, but as you bring the two wires around the twist, gently lift one wire over the other.

Step 6: Keep going around with the two wires together, every so often lifting one wire over the other as you circle. Try to build each concentric circle so that it is lower than the previous one to give the rose depth.

Step 7: Keep going round, lifting and gently twisting the two wires

Step 8: The rose begins to take shape

Step 9: As the rose grows, you may need to take it off the round nose pliers.  Use the loop in the middle of the back of the rose to hold it with the chain nose pliers so that you can carry on

Step 10: Holding on gets a bit harder the deeper the rose gets

Step 11: Nearly done. Just need to decide if you want it to be a charm or a connector or a bead, so either seperate the two wires and make a loop on opposite sides of your flower or ...

Step 12: ...create a wrapped loop with the two wires at the top of the rose.  You still have a loop at the back, which could be used to thread the rose onto beading wire like a bead if you wish, or can simply be flattened to get it out of the way. 

The design possibilities are endless...

Bracelet with pyrite flowers

Copper wire rose ring

To make the ring, simply start the process winding the wire round a marker pen or ring mandrel first to construct the shank. 









Here's the link to see what other crafty folk have been making this week.

Wordless Wednesday: The joy of weeds and wild flowers

I know the gardeners won't be pleased with me celebrating weeds and wild flowers, 

but the colours here are beautiful!

Handmade and the high street 2: Summer flowers and maxi dresses

The current vogue for maxi dresses and flower patterns has me drooling.  Soon it might even be warm enough to wear them!  Here's a selection of high street and handmade items to prove once again that the two go really well together.




I was spoilt for choice searching floral maxi dresses online, but this one from John Lewis with its really dramatic neckline and muted colours really took my eye.  Love the butterflies too.











This Paul Smith handbag from House of Fraser would be perfect with the dress (floral prints together are so cool!)  I think the bag is currently sold out but clicking on the image will take you to a selection of Paul Smith bags including similar floral ones.










You need a lovely pair of sandals to go with these, so to carry on the floral theme, here are some gorgeous ones from Roberto Vianni at Debenhams:

Don't they have a great gladiator feel about them too?  I still have a pair of beloved gladiators from Office, which must be about five years old now.  I think they've lasted so well because I can't walk outdoors in them so they have, ironically, lived in a drawer in my office!!


Here comes the handmade bit, and a shameless plug for my handmade jewellery this time.  Mookaite (or moukite or mookite) must be my favourite gemstone at the moment and it's been a big seller for me.  The contrasting deep reds and mustard yellows are the reason behind that, I think - you wouldn't think they'd go together, but they do.  Here's my take on this summer's trend - a long tassle necklace dangling from a central flower charm, matching earrings and a bag charm for that lovely handbag.  Simples, as the meerkats say :-)

Hope you've enjoyed this taste of handmade and the high street again.  Many thanks to John Lewis, House of Fraser and Debenhams for permission to reproduce their product images.  Do let me know what your favourite item is.

Guess what link these lovely items and sellers on Etsy

'Something links these items...' by BlueForestJewellery

...I bet you can guessAnyway, even if you can't, they're beautiful!And all these sellers were good enough to feature my shop in a treasury recently. Thank you folks :-)

Flower Crochet Hat 2t Turquo... mystichintime $7.50	Cherry Blossom Branch vinyl ... OffTheWallExpr... $39.00	Flower Engraved Coral Pendan... ElizabethMD $16.00
Orange and Green Vintage Flo... Rotifera $4.00	Topsy Turvy Turtle toy anima... fluffandfuzz $2.25	Swarovski Air Blue (Light Bl... HeadpinWear $24.00
Fabric Flower Wall Hanging-w... JamisyJo $18.00	Handmade Black Flower and Pe... JewelryByJayne... $92.00	Red and Bold Vintage Style W... ZurDesigns $24.00
Little Peeps (I Heart Spring... beckorama $37.00	Cobalt Garden Wire Wrapped S... TUTreasures $40.50	Red and white lily barrette msformaldehyde $7.00
Soft lavendar headband with ... turquoiseangel... $6.50	Silver Heart Charm Necklace ... mysticwynd $22.50	Earrings sterling silver Cze... natashaaloha $22.00
Sapphire Czech Glass Vintage... Jewelrybynala $19.75

Treasury tool is sponsored by Lazzia.com A/B image testing.