Crying over cracked beads

That’s what I did yesterday, okay not literally but very nearly. Remember the beautiful amethyst I showed you in an earlier post? Well I hadn’t anticipated how small the beading holes would be, I could just about pass some 24ga through it but it needed a little reaming on one side to help it through.

So I reamed it under water like a good little girl, then as I was trying to pass the wire through I heard that dreaded "crack" I looked at my beautiful stone and there is was looking back at me with a huge corner broken off. I despaired, it took me ages to find what I thought was the perfect stone and now here it was all broken and sad looking. I then spend the next 2 hours trying to figure a way of using one of the other five but the only wire that would safely pass through was 26 ga, but that was far too flimsy to wrap.

So I made the emergency call on the Bead Phone to Jo, I had an idea but would need her soldering skills. My call for help was answered and a beady session was booked for that evening.

The necklace is now finished, even if it’s gone slightly off the original design. I’m really happy with it and want to show you a picture but cant until has been given at the end of the month.

But wow, soldering is soooo cool, I loved it. I’ve spent a good chunk of today looking at various sites and pricing up a kit. I’m taking a 3 day course in Silver smithing next month but this has got me itching to try it NOW I’m such a "do it now" kind of girl.

Today was much more fruitful than yesterday, with these two necklaces made using the "random" beads I’ve been trying to use up.