Here's the latest in my embroidery obsession. It's very colorful; for some reason I'm veering off my monochromatic streak. The lampwork is by Donna Millard.

There's a story on my blog, Jewelry Tales, at: http://jewelrytales.blogspot.com/2008/06/where-road-goes.html

Thanks for looking!

Cindy

 I love it.  I especially like the netted background--it's a nice contrast to the density of the embroidered areas.

Beautiful. I love the effect of the base materials showing through the netted sections.

 

Thank you! I wanted to keep some of the gorgeous blue ultrasuede visible, glad it worked.

Cindy

Cindy, that is fabulous! Donna's beads are sooooo gorgeous and you showcased that one perfectly! Is it very heavy? Did you use a blank? I've been snooping around lampwork lately myself and trying to resist, but it's a battle destined to be lost LOL! Absolutely fantastic cuff.....!!!!!!

*Cindy waves a pocket watch* You will not resist . . . you know you want it . . .

Oh, wait, that's my own face I'm waving the watch in front of! I LOVE Donna's beads, she's amazing.

This cuff isn't really very heavy, but I'd say it feels "substantial," due more to the width than the weight, though. I didn't use a blank, but I did do the embroidery on two layers: ultrasuede with a lining of stiffened felt, and then I glued another piece of ultrasuede to the back. This particular piece of ultrasuede is pretty thick; it's probably upholstery weight. (I bought a bag of remnants on eBay, lol, so have lots of odd bits and pieces.)

Cindy

Thanks for that bit of techie info! I've been heavily eyeballing some lampwork cabochons over the past week or so, but have been debating any eventual weight issues. Would you mind telling me how big that bead is? Around 30mm? My perplexity in regard to weight was not so much that of the bracelet, but that of the bead/cab in relation to the foundation. You definitely dealt with that well yourself, and now I have a bit more to go on logistics-wise...thank you!!!!

 One last thing - nobody noticed yet but I guess I did(?)....unless I'm going bonkers, you actually cut a hole out in the center of the cuff so you can showcase both sides of the bead, yes? It rotates on a silver wire that's hidden in the layers of backing? If I'm not bonkers, then you're just a genius and I bow down to you . If I am bonkers then I'm the genius...but something tells me you're the one wearing that crown. Of course....why on earth would any serious artist glue down and hide even just a fraction of a Donna Millard bead? Must've taken quite a bit of work, but really Cindy, the engineering on this one is just as awesome as the cuff itself!

REALLY cool piece!  I love the netting you've added!  The lampwork is gorgeous!

The bead is about 20-22 mm, not large or heavy at all. And yes, the center is cut out and the bead can rotate on its wire. Both sided of this bead are gorgeous; you're right, I did not want to hide the other side by gluing it. I put loops on each side of the wire and tacked it to the ultrasuede before I started beading. Working around the wire was a bit fiddley, but worth it, I think, to have the option of seeing both sides of the bead.

Cindy

As always I am very happy to see your wonderful embroidery! Like it very much :-)

Thank you!

Cindy