Another finished piece, this time a pendant. I started with an early attempt at reticulation, which worked beautifully in one part of the brass but didn’t spread to the rest of the piece.
I then cut it out with a hacksaw, tidied up the central hole and polished it.
Initially I wanted to stitch it onto black silk, until I found a piece of black cotton velvet. The edges of the brass and the pearl purl sink so nicely into the pile of the velvet and it gives another wonderful textural contrast.
I took Rachel’s advice after I’d blogged about the blue spirals brooch and stretched the purls slightly before I stitched them down. Much neater.
Some of the longest bullions I’ve ever stitched, and with a slightly slubby thread too. The bullions and the purl are actually holding the metal to the fabric.
I finished off the french knots inside the hole and added some trios in a dark red silk thread to the ends of the purls.
The pendant is two almond shapes cut from pelmet vilene which are laminated together and the velvet laced over them.
The back is another slightly smaller single piece of vilene which has been covered with black kimono silk with a slightly crepey texture.
This was invisibly ladder stitched onto the black velvet and the bale stitched on with red thread.
And boxed.
I really feel I want to do something more with these pieces of jewellery than just accumulate them like I do with my purely textile work. I was wondering if they might be the sort of thing that would sell on etsy… Any thoughts from the wise?
Under A Topaz Sky 
Oh this is wonderful! It makes me think of fire and excitement. Its lovely!
I’ve never really investigated Etsy, so I can’t comment on that, but the pieces are so fabulously distinctive they deserve to be seen some where. Just one piece of advice – if you do decide to sell them, don’t underprice yourself!
What a fabulous piece and the velvet is a perfect background. I don’t use Etsy much myself but I know a lot of people do and I’m sure that your jewellery would sell well on there.
This pendant is beautiful and unique. I don’t know much about Etsy but I can’t see why something like this wouldn’t sell (if you can bear to part with it!)
I’m going with a “sea star” (no kidding)! I think it’s absolutely gorgeous!
wow! Now they’re what I call bullion’s!!
Just stumbled on your blog and now I found these cool pieces with reticulated brass! As a jewellery maker/beader who rekindled her love of embroidery just a couple of years and enjoy experimenting with mixed media, this was both gorgeous and inspiring to look at!