Tequila Sunrise Chain Bib Statement Necklace

So I figured while I'm posting about failures I might as well go all out. Yep, failure #2 right here. This necklace was modeled after my Egyptian-Inspired Chain Bib Necklace, but I wanted to go a bit bigger and bolder and feature a sunrise color palette (hence the name of this necklace). I also changed up the sides a bit by adding embellished connectors to better support the number of chains and to bring a little more color and bling.

Unfortunately, it was just too much, and I think this necklace paid the price for my overzealousness. There's nothing really wrong with this necklace I suppose, if you want a big and bold piece of jewelry; it just didn't turn out the way I had envisioned it in my mind. I do think the size ended up working against it here. For one, the focal element is too big, and thus less sturdy and more prone to warping.

Second, because the focal component is so long it required more and longer chains for the bib, thus requiring bigger connector elements. I embellished the connectors with colorful beads to try to fill in some of the empty space, but I just don't love them in this necklace because I think they distract from the focal and the chain bib itself.

I also didn't like that because the connectors have such variation in length where the chains connect, it was really difficult to determine the length of each successive row of chain and to get them all to lay somewhat orderly. I think this is fairly visible in the necklace if you're a detail person, and it really bothers my design brain to have them look so wonky.

On a positive note, one of the parts I really like about this necklace is the embellished chain I created to connect the side components to the toggle clasp. It just adds a pretty little extra finishing detail.

As for the process, I created all of the wire components in this necklace following my usual process for creating wire frames, adding some together to create one large frame, and embellishing them.

 

I also made all of the copper wire chain...and there was A LOT of it. The photo below is only a portion. I actually love making chain (I make each individual link by hand--no wire jig), but sometimes I wish there was a faster (and less abusive to my fingertips) way to get it done. Whew.

I made and embellished the toggle clasp following the same basic process as in my Queen Anne's Lace necklace.
  

 

All of the wire components were made with copper German style wire in gauges 20 - 26. This necklace also features a ton of beautiful stones in shades of yellow, orange, pink, and red, including chalcedony, raspberry quartz, lemon quartz, tourmaline, citrine, jade, quartzite, and agate, as well as clear crystals and white nebula glass beads throughout the bib and clasp.

At the end of the day it was a learning experience, albeit a time-intensive one. Because of the amount of time I spent creating the chains and finagling the layers I cannot bring myself to just scrap this piece, so it will likely hang out in my overabundant jewelry-that-has-no-future bin for now. Hopefully someday I'll find a market for all of my crazy outcasts! In the meantime, here are a few more photos and close-ups of this statement piece.

 

What do you think of this color palette? Do you like the embellished side connectors? How big is too bold for you? I'd love to know.

Egyptian-Inspired Chain Bib Necklace

I know this piece is a little different style than the necklaces I've been creating lately. So how did it come about? Well, I tend to take/save photos quite often of jewelry pieces, art, and even architectural scenes that I like or that inspire me. I take inspiration from them for color schemes, shapes, designs, layouts, etc., and then try to turn those ideas into something that fits more into my own style and preferred media. This necklace design came from one of those saved photos.

The piece that inspired me was not a wire-based necklace, but it was similar in layout--it was an Egyptian necklace that had several large green stones in a vertical setting as the main focal element, and then several strands of strung pearls radiating out from the green stones. I loved the vertical focal element with the layered strands and used that inspiration in creating this necklace.

I wanted a little more variety of color in my piece and was itching to showcase these beautiful large, faceted purple agate beads, so I took color inspiration from this sketch and this sketch by the talented artist Megan Wells (I'm inspired by her Instagram feed daily!). I really loved the mix of purples, earthy green, and pale yellow.

I used a mix of dark purple faceted agate, bright and pale lavender quartzite, green aventurine, faceted lemon quartz teardrops (scattered throughout the bib chains), glass pearls, and crystals. My original plan was to incorporate a little more green into the mix--I have some beautiful amazonite beads I really wanted to throw in--but it just didn't end up that way. But I still like it!

 

 The focal element is actually made up of three separate wire pieces that I wrapped together, similar to the way I combined the focal elements in the Caribbean Seas necklace.

Quick process pic: (clockwise from top left) Creating the wire shapes;
wrapping them together into one element; visualizing color schemes;
finished!

(Close-up of the finished focal element)

Of course I used my favorite German copper wire in the antique bronze color!

I used German copper wire in the copper color for all of the scads of handmade chain. Oh my goodness, making all that chain took forever.

The side connector elements are handmade as usual, this time in antique bronze wire. I had some gold chain already made (I'd originally planned on alternating it with the copper chains in the bib, but it ended up looking too stripey) that I used for around the back of the necklace, but I think I might change it out to copper; as much as I love mixing lots of metals, there's no gold anywhere else on the necklace and I'm not sure it really fits in.

The clasp is the only machine-made element on this piece. I used a simple copper-colored toggle clasp, but might change it out for one of my favorite bronze flower toggles if I change the attached gold chain to copper. Because I just can't have two connecting metals match, of course.

I love the exotic look and feel of this necklace. It took about three times longer than my usual pieces because of the amount of handmade chain used and all the finagling to get the layers draped just right. But in the end, I think it was worth it. I'm not sure I'll be making another though!

As usual, because it's made entirely of lightweight (but durable!) wire, this necklace is incredibly light and not at all bulky or unwieldy. Perfect for dressing up a simple graphic tee for a boho look or accessorizing a little black dress for that evening out on the town.

What do you think, are you a fan of chain bib necklaces? Where do you find your creative inspiration? How would you wear this necklace?

I'd love to know!