https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/temple-tassel • Posted by Helen Bowen
This necklace is inspired by the decadent designs of Southern India but reinvented in antique silver with faux porcelain beads instead of gemstones. Temple jewelry often takes shapes from the architectural features found inside and outside these places of worship. You can buy the 1-4 connectors from www.rareflair.co.uk, the semi-precious beads from www.jewellerymaker.com and the pip and rope beads from www.spellboundbead.co.uk
This necklace is inspired by the decadent designs of Southern India but reinvented in antique silver with faux porcelain beads instead of gemstones. Temple jewelry often takes shapes from the architectural features found inside and outside these places of worship. You can buy the 1-4 connectors from www.rareflair.co.uk, the semi-precious beads from www.jewellerymaker.com and the pip and rope beads from www.spellboundbead.co.uk
Cut four lengths of cord, each 60”/1.5m long. Thread a cord through the single hole of one of the 4-1 connectors and out through one of the outer holes. Add on a pip and rope tube bead, followed by a paper bead and other pip and rope tube. Refer to my project, Deceptive Drops, for instructions on how to make the paper beads. Pass the thread through the outer hole of another 4-1 connector and out through the single hole on the other side.
Thread a second cord so it passes through the single hole, out through the hole adjacent to the previous cord, through the same sequence of beads as in step 1 then through the connector as shown.
Repeat with the next two cords. As you add cords, the single holes in the connectors will become more difficult to get the cord through. You can overcome this by using a scrap of 0.8mm wire. Turn 2”/6cm of wire into a needle by folding the end around the cord to be threaded to make an eye. Use this ‘needle’ to guide the cord through the holes in the connectors. Pull the four cords through the beads until you have around 5”/15cm visible beyond the bottom connector. These will form the tassels at the base of the focal. Thread a porcelain bead onto all four cords and tie an overhand knot below to secure.
Thread a White Agate carved leaf bead onto each of the four cord ends, tying knots at different heights to secure them. Trim the ends as shown.
Push all the beads and connector down and thread another porcelain bead onto all four long cords at the other end of the necklace focal. Tie an overhand knot to secure.
To create the necklace sections, divide the four cords into two pairs. Tie an overhand knot in each pair around 2”/6cm from the bead added in step 5.
Thread on a 10mm Sodalite faceted round onto one cord of a pair. Thread an 8mm Sodalite round onto the other. Tie both cords together with an overhand knot to secure the beads and repeat with the other cord pair.
Around 2”/6cm further down, tie an overhand knot with each pair of cords. Thread a porcelain bead onto each and tie two more knots to secure as shown.
Around 2”/6cm further down, tie an overhand knot with each pair of cords. Thread a White Agate carved leaf bead onto each and tie two more knots to secure as shown.
This necklace design is long enough not to require a clasp. Work out the desired length (long enough for the necklace to pass over your head!) and tie a knot in each pair of cords to mark the right length for each side of the necklace. Next, thread a porcelain bead onto one pair of cords. Thread the other pair of cords through the bead in the opposite direction. Pull all the cord ends tight so the bead sits between the knots then tie each pair of cords again so the new knots sit snugly against the bead. To finish the ends, thread on White Agate carved leaf beads and knot to secure. Trim any excess cord.