The Viking Knit Chain

 A few years back my Norwegian wife taught me how to weave this beautiful Viking Knit Chain and I use it regularly to create awesome pendants with my agate cabochons.

Normally I use 24G copper wire but when I want a challenge, I'll use 22G. The wire is "woven" around a wood or metal dowel.

As you can see, at this stage it's pretty irregular and doesn't look like much. After I have a length of about 8 inches, I'll take it off the dowel. By this time I will have used over 50 feet of wire. The diameter is the same as the dowel.

I have made myself a draw plate out of oak and this is what I use to "stretch" the chain.

Starting with the largest diameter, I draw the chain through successive holes until I get to a diameter of 7/32 inch. Now the chain will look like this.

As you can see, the weave has become much tighter and the chain has a little more than doubled in length. To make sure it doesn't unravel and to enable the addition of a clasp, I have to make end caps. These can be bought but I prefer to make my own out of 16G copper wire.

I then attach sliding copper bails to the stone so it can be hung on the chain. Some I make but the filigree ones are commercial.

Then the piece is completed with a hand made copper clasp.

The chain can also be used to make bracelets.

Every once in a while I make the chain out of sterling silver wire and then I use a spectacular sterling silver sliding bail.

It takes me about 4 hours to weave the chain and another 1.5 hours to do the finishing but it's a lot of fun and the finished product is well worth it.

Lots of New Pieces For The Shop

 We'll probably be putting our sign back up and opening the shop soon so we've been really busy creating pieces to fill the empty spaces and I thought I'd catch you up on a few.

I made this set from a large piece of red jasper that a customer sent so the Real Artist could use it for paint pigment. It turned out beautifully- a little too perfectly as it turned out as it sold as soon as I posted it on Instagram!

I wanted to create earrings using a copper filigree bead cap I have and this was the first pair. They also sold as soon as I posted them so I've been making more (pics will follow in the next post). The stone is a beautiful piece of local agate/jasper and I hung it on a very special sterling silver chain. It's still available.

This is another local agate that I set using a perimeter groove so as not to disturb the gorgeous patterning. I used German silver (non-tarnish) wire and hung it on a really nice sterling silver chain.

This (local) piece of plume agate is one of the most beautiful pieces I've ever worked with. It seemed to call for brass wire to compliment the colour of the stone so that meant that I had to make a set of brass findings and a neck clasp. Whatever it takes I say.

 

 The patterning and colours are outstanding but again I made the mistake of posting it on Instagram and it also sold!

Next time I'll post a few more including the Boho Earring line I've finished.

Hope to see you at the shop but if you see something you like, we ship!

The Phoenix Collection Gets Larger

Last year I decided to try working with a new material- used guitar wire. And since I have a son-in-law, grandsons and neighbours who play guitar, I had plenty of strings to experiment with. The wires have as much "memory" as any wire I've worked with so it's not the easiest job but it does open up some amazing unique opportunities.

Since the strings were being "reborn", I called it the Phoenix Collection with new jewelry pieces rising from the ashes. Guitar strings that once made beautiful music now make beautiful, unique jewelry. They sold well in the shop and on line so I have decided to expand the selection. Since I started fabricating I've made several pairs of earrings with many more to come. By spring, this display will be full.

 I also want to do about a dozen single strand and multi strand necklaces incorporating Vickie's amazing polymer clay beads. Here are some of the latest.

The first features a "faux" amber trade bead with amazing detail and the second incorporates "faux" jade and a small trade bead. But by far the most ambitious undertaking to date has been the 9 string braided piece with a beautiful local stone and carnelian beads.

Regrettably, the wire doesn't photograph so well so these are even better in person so if you are coming this way, let me know and you can take a look.

Of course, I'm making other items as well, such as this large shark tooth wrapped in silver and hanging on a sterling silver chain- gorgeous.

Stay sane and healthy my friends.

Gina Halteman-Formica...a great artist!

 A few months ago, a lady in a beautiful part of Pennsylvania saw one of my finished cabs on line and asked to buy it. I sold her the piece and asked if she would send a picture when it was completed...and she sent TWO!

 The stone was the one in the middle of these three- a stunning example of Mexican Crazy Lace Jasper!

So the artist- Gina Halteman- Formica- took the stone and made it look even better by creating an amazing, unique setting. (Sorry for the picture quality but it is hard to photograph silver.)

And I absolutely love her connector- a hand fashioned sliding bail that attaches to the back of the setting so the stone seems to "float".

I really enjoy her work because, like me, she makes a lot of her own findings and connectors and she does a lot with upcycled copper. You really should check out her work at lovegwireworks.com

I'm back on the CabKing and here are some recent pieces- part of my 100 Cabochon project. This diverse grouping of agate and jasper are all local! What amazing material I have to work with!

And just a reminder, if you are travelling near Digby NS, we are now open most days.

Cheers!