Upcycling waste matter

Here is a bracelet I’ve been thinking about for a while….

I have all these leather strings, which are waste matter that I have been given by an acquaitance whose factory matches fabric with leather for shoes, and I wanted to make something with it.

I decided to combine the black leather string with a silver ring and here is the result. I’ve been told that it has a masculine feel about it, and I also think it looks a bit primitive…. 🙂

Leather bracelet

Leather bracelet

My style

This bracelet is definitely more my *style*, compared to the Chainmaille earings of my previous posts…. the “rosary technique” is always a favourite of mine. This bracelet is made with 3 strings of multicolor tinted agate stone beads, but I might as well decide to add few more….

Multicolor Agate bracelet

multicolor tinted agate stone beads bracelet

Chainmaille earings

Since I’ve been trying to get more accustomed with this Chainmaille technique, I decided to made this pair of earings. They’re made with silver jump rings and light blue glass beads. The effect is quite nice but I’m not sure whether I’m going to wear them myself because they are not exactly my “style“….

Chainmaille silver earings

Cats’ day

As yesterday was National Cats’ Day here in Italy, I decided to make this Chainmaille bracelet to celebrate it… The pattern is called Helmsweave and I added a little kitty charm and a black glass bead to one end….

Chainmaille Helmsweave bracelet with kitty charm

Kiki (no soft toys were harmed in the making of this photo… sort of…)

Chainmaille Helmsweave bracelet

Chainmaille Helmsweave bracelet with kitty charm

Medieval knights’ ornaments

Here is a new technique I’ve been experimenting lately… Chainmaille or Chainmail, like those wore by the Medieval knights  as protective armors in battle…. basically it is made with linking rings together to form various patterns. There are tons of patterns out there that have been known since ancient times and gradually, various ornate chainmail weaves and ring patterns have come into modern use for jewelry to make stylish bracelets, necklaces, earings, etc…

A modern example of the use of mail, is this bracelet I made with bronze jump rings. This kind of pattern is called “Box Chain”.

Box Chain bronze bracelet

Chainmalle bronze bracelet

Chainmalle bronze bracelet

Chainmaille bronze bracelet

Gloomy days

In these gloomy and rainy days of Winter I felt the need for some light, that’s why I decided to make this Chan-luu bracelet with crystal beads, to brighten up my life.

Chan-luu bracelet with crystal beads

Chan-luu bracelet with crystal beads

February stone

I’ve read somewhere that February birthstone is Amethyst so I decided to make a bracelet with the so called “rosary technique” using 4 mm Amethyst beads and a larger pink quartz. I have already made some bracelets like these before… you can see them here.

Rosary technique bracelet with amethyst and quartz

Rosary technique bracelets

 

Last but not least

…. I was almost going to forget to post this Xmas gift I made for my brother’s girlfriend. It’s an infinity scarf/neck warmer that can also be used as a hood. I’m not sure whether she appreciated it or not, but trust me when I tell you that it is *far* better than what I got from her….

Infinity scarf

Infinity scarf