Sew Full of Memories….a Memory Jewelry Piece

Last year I inherited all of my grandmother's sewing supplies. She spent years accumulating fabric, thread, and notions that I have been slowly sorting through and rediscovering. I was pleased to discover several spools of vintage thread in my grandmother's thread box. Rather than use these for sewing, I thought they should be immortalized in a piece of wearable art, something I can see and remember her by. 

• Beads, Crystals – Connie Crystal
• Head Pins, Eye Pins, Chain, Jump Rings, Lobster Claw Closure, Scissor Charm – Bohemian
• Spool of Thread – Coats & Clark
• Bezels – Hobby Lobby, Ice Resin
• Resin – Ice Resin
• Paper – My Mind's Eye
• Epoxy – Epiphany Crafts
• Adhesive – E6000
• Wire Tools – Darice

To create the dangle the spool hangs from, I threaded a small pearl type bead onto an eyepin and inserted that into the spool, treating the spool as a bead. I then added another pearl bead to the pin and then used a wire wrapping technique to create a loop and close off the pin. Due to the weight of the spool, it is important to wire wrap rather than just creating a loop at the end of the pin (a  loop could bend over time and allow the spool to fall off of the necklace). 

I added a scissor charm to the bottom of the eyepin to represent “sewing”, something my grandmother loved but also taught me how to do. I then created dangles from the beads and crystals, again with wire wrapping, adding them to the chain I created to form the necklace.

Perhaps there is a scrapbooking embellishment you love, a broken brooch, or maybe even a piece of memorabilia you love to look at but aren't sure how to display it. Consider creating wearable art with it! 

What pieces in your stash do you have and what Connie Crystals would you use to create your wearable work of art? Please share with us in the comments section!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Author: Jennifer Priest

It started with jewelry, beading, sewing, home decor, painting, basket weaving, pottery, and cross-stitch. Marry that to an entrepreneurial spirit & at 9 years old a girl is selling her wares at craft fairs as far as her parents and grandparents would drive her. These days, Jennifer enjoys crafts of all genres from sewing to scrapbooking to jewelry with a little dabbling in the mixed media world. Her style is approachable and she wants everyone who sees her work to feel that they too can embrace creativity and make their home and life beautiful.