Designing a silent bracelet

Yesterday there was a surprise in my in-box. When you lovely people get in touch to thank me and share photos, it means the world to me. Thanks Deirdre!

Deirdre made me laugh non-stop every time we met! She had absolutely no time for people telling her what she should or shouldn't do or wear for her wedding. She had some quirky must-haves (and have-nots). She wanted a 'silent' dress and was appalled by the thoughts of ones which make swishing sounds when she walked (more on this later!) and she wanted to wear a big statement bracelet, despite what everyone else thought.

I like how this girl thinks! Deirdre had a dream bracelet in her mind and had trawled the internet for it. She had spied January Jones wearing a wide pearl cuff and had even managed to source the designer's name. But her hunt for this elusive bracelet was in vain.

So, Deirdre got in touch to see if I could design something similar for her. I was on for the challenge. I started experimenting with techniques to create a solid pearl cuff. This style of piece is very different to my signature style but I loved the simplicity of the pure pearls.

The design of this piece took a long time to crack but I thoroughly enjoyed the process. Deirdre was involved at all stages, from initial sketches right through to her finished piece. At first I was going to add moving pearl drops to the crochet structure but Deirdre was fearful that the moving pearls would make a sound :-) More laughter...

The finished cuff was almost 6cm wide at it widest point. Every space was woven with hundreds of different sized pearls. The photo on the left shows the crochet framework that held it all together. The pearls gave an amazing bubbly, organic texture.

"I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you for my beautiful cuff, I absolutely loved it on the day and got a million compliments about it!

What a gorgeous picture - Deirdre's dress was designed by Kathy De Stafford. You can't see the bottom of the dress here but it was a beautiful soft tulle.

Thanks for trusting me to make your bracelet Deirdre and for being so much fun to work with!

For more inspiration you can check out my latest commissions or give me a call to chat about your own ideas.

Image credit:
Photo of Deirdre: Icon Photography

Good Eyesight and Patience

Today I am working away in my studio. It's quiet here; no music playing! And I'm reminded of the two words that I often hear when people describe what I do. "You must have great patience and good eye sight!"

This got me thinking about what it is that I love about my work. It's definitely the balance between meeting and chatting with clients and then designing and making in my own peaceful space. I've always enjoyed getting to know the people I design for. That's where great ideas are born and secrets shared! My studio is the perfect place for me to create. I have a huge work table which I've had since the day I set up my business in 1998. I'm very sentimental about it!

 Bespoke Rangoli pearl cuff in progress

I'm working on this pearl cuff bracelet which is very intricate. My "good eyesight" has recently been aided by a pair of glasses but my patience trait is still going strong! A piece like this can take a few days to make and I just relax into it. Sometimes I listen to music but I'm just as happy to quietly sit and think of the person who will be wearing my jewellery.

Funny stories often pop into my head if I'm sitting quietly. For example, the person who I'm designing this for wanted a bracelet covered in pearls of different sizes. She was adamant that she didn't want it to jangle or make any noise. She even chose a dress where the fabric didn't make a swishing sound as she walked. I love that! Swish, swish, swish... So rather than having moving pearls on the bracelet, I am weaving them into my crochet structure. I knew there was a reason for me not playing music in the studio today!

If you're interested in seeing more of my studio, you should check out a fun photographic interview by Noel and Aga called "What's the craic with Rangoli Jewellery". They are from the amazing White Tea Photography - check out their cool work.

As always, I'd love to hear from you so leave me a comment or arrange a visit to my 'sometimes quiet' studio.