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SOUTACHE EMBROIDERY is an ancient embroidery technique, which was initially used for making decorative elements sewn on clothes. The name comes from the French 'soutache'(pronounced soo - tash), which is a braid used to decorate fabric. Soutache has been around for a long time, especially in the world of fashion. From military uniforms to haute couture creations, soutache creates amazing texture and design and has relatively recently made a splash in the world of jewellery with the renewed interest in adornments embroidered from beads and braid.
Soutache is a flat braid with a groove down its center, made of two rows of cording. It is added to designs stacked in layers - the edges of the braids are what are visible in the design and they are often sewn on around beads or cabochons.
They are all sewn together with fine threads and since soutache embroidery is very laborious and demanding technique and it requires precision. Jewellery made with this method is very definitely one of a kind.
Soutache is a flat braid with a groove down its center, made of two rows of cording. It is added to designs stacked in layers - the edges of the braids are what are visible in the design and they are often sewn on around beads or cabochons.
They are all sewn together with fine threads and since soutache embroidery is very laborious and demanding technique and it requires precision. Jewellery made with this method is very definitely one of a kind.
Eye Protect - a Hamsa Necklace
The Hamsa is 4.5" x 4.5 and is hand beaded with Czech and Japanese seed beads, Swarovski crystals and a hand-painted iris. Bright colours give this pendant a playful feel, echoed in the colours of the necklace. It is embroidered with the all-seeing eye, a lotus flower as well as paisley patterns and chevrons. The necklace is made of beautiful frosted amethyst beads that look like grapes with a bloom on them, carnelian rice-shaped beads, and ornamental Bali beads in a long necklace with an adjustable toggle clasp which adds a couple more inches to the 24" length of the necklace should you require it. Four handmade fire-polished Czech glass beads, in shades of purple and toning colours, flank the first carnelian bead. A protective amulet in difficult times. The amethyst is thought to bring peace of mind and calm and the carnelian brings vitality and a warmth of spirit and prevents illness.
£
70.00
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Woodland Fantasy
A stunning showpiece -the focal piece is a 'pond' crafted from a large slab of labradorite, surrounded by little creatures - beetles, dragonfly and lizards. Water Lily pads and flowers have cobwebs with droplets of water dripping from them. The necklace or woodland that surrounds the labradorite is heavily beaded with flowers, leaves and vines using tiny Japanese and Czech seed beads. The necklace is backed with Ultrasuede. The back of the necklace is made of hand carved fluorite flowers and closure is by a toggle clasp, with the possibility to extend it on the back by 2". The labradorite flashes when the light shines on it, although frustratingly, it is difficult to photograph. This necklace is meant to sit close to the neck and is jaw-droppingly, mind-bogglingly lovely.
£
110.00
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Putting on the Ritz
Putting on the Ritz is a labour of love. It took me four weeks to embroider and weave the beads that have created the magic in this Art Deco inspired piece of jewellery. The central pendant is made of a strip of turquoise cabochons held in place by bezels of black seed beads, and is surrounded by tubes of beads on two sides. The seed beads are all imported from Japan. Five red jade teardrops dangle from the pendant. The pendant is attached seamlessly to a necklace made of thousands of seed beads wrapped around a form to create a stiff torque-like effect to the necklace. The pendant is 4" long, plus the dangles, and the necklace is 22", with a handmade wire clasp.
All the elements in this piece are handmade and I will probably never make another like it.
It is on the Caprilicious Blog here and you can read all about it.
£
110.00
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Glacial Glamour
Six strands of milky opalite glass teardrop beads on a strong toggle clasp, 22" long carry a beautiful pale slab nugget of almost translucent agate, surrounded by a bezel of tiny Czech beads as well as Swarovski pearls and crystals. A necklace that is perfect for winter, or indeed any season. Bling with aplomb!
£
70.00
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Fleur De Lys
Fleur De Lys is a hand beaded pendant, 4.5 x 3.5 " long, with a rose quartz cabochon at the centre, a fleur de lys hand carved into it. The cabochon is surrounded by a multitude of tiny Czech beads that I recently acquired in Prague with a fringe of silvery seed beads and little faceted teardrops of prehnite, that I got on a visit to Jaipur a number of years ago and have been dying to use.
The pendant is strung on silvery baroque pearls, with little pink seed beads in between to echo the fleur and finished with a box clasp set with a peridot. The necklace is 22" long, and the pendant adds 4.5" to it's length. Pretty powerful, would you agree?
£
65.00
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Shiny Shibori Earrings
2.2" long, inverted triangles that frame your face, with silvertone studs in the ear. The earrings are embroidered with lashings of crystals and seed beads as well as a strip of pale pink/green Shibori ribbon. The earrings are edged in a vibrant purple/pink to bring out the colours in the ribbon. The crystals attract light to your face and are suitable for an evening out on the town. The back is covered with fawn coloured ultrasuede. The earrings are light and you will forget that you're wearing them.
£
25.00
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Moonshine
The pendant is handmade with a peach dyed druzy, surrounded by beadwork with tiny seed beads in a dull gold, and flat peach moonstone beads and a peachy cream baroque pearl, about 1cm long dangles from the pendant. It is backed with ultrasuede and is on a necklace of baroque pearls interspersed with little peach dyed seed beads. A lobster clasp, studded with micro pave' diamante in a rose gold tone finishes this one off, sumptuous piece.
I take great pride that the entire piece is handmade by me, excluding the clasp, of course.
£
70.00
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Perfectly Paisley
A colourful paisley shape. beaded in silver lined beads with blues, green, peach and orange all merging into one another, studded with two beautiful blue labradorite cabochons that flash vibrantly when in the light changing for a pale grey into a vibrant blue in a second - an almost unbelievable transformation . Citrine nuggets dangle from the piece which is finished off by beaded straps in green and orange. It is surrounded by pink and blue soutache braiding to pick up on the pink and blue thread work necklace it hangs from. The necklace is a piece of art in itself and can be worn without the pendant for an African vibe. The pendant is 5.5" x 4" approx and is a piece of art around your neck that will be the envy of the room.
This piece is so difficult to describe, but the wearer will certainly draw attention anywhere she goes. Perfect for the festive season!
£
85.00
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Caribbean Queen
An asymmetrical, colourful soutache embroidered pendant around a dyed howlite donut, set with a Biwa pearl in its centre, surrounded by beadwork and braiding, embellished with crystals, Japanese seed beads, and blue jade, hung on two rows of green and silver crystals with a toggle clasp. The necklace is 23" long, and the pendant, 5" long. A vibrant and interesting piece for the belle of the ball.
£
50.00
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Calypso - Carnelian Flower and beadwork bracelet
Hand carved carnelian flowers, fluorite flowers and tiny little gemstone nuggets embroidered onto leather in a fully adjustable bracelet, around 7.5" in diameter. The inside of the bracelet is lined with ultrasuede, and there is an aluminium support to the bracelet sandwiched between the leather and ultrasuede to hold the bracelets shape. Very pretty, you will wear it everywhere!
£
45.00
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Calypso
An exuberant piece of jewellery based around a Vintaj brass face, wrapped in a Shibori ribbon 'turban' in a pendant depicting a sunrise in the Caribbean. The pendant is 4" x 4" and is carried on both sides by 4 x 1.5" long embroidered and embellished strips which in turn end in a string of pale yellow jade beads. Carnelian and jade flowers are incorporated into the two arms of the necklace, as are Czech and Japanese beads and crystals. The pieces are all individually backed by ultrasuede and edged by a picot of little Czech seed beads. An extendable toggle clasps gives the necklace a further 2 inches on it's original 22.
There is a bracelet to match with carnelian flowers on leather on the website - the Calypso bracelet.
£
80.00
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Pirouette
The central pendant is formed around a Vintaj brass element, which depicts a seahorse and a fish swimming among strands of seaweed. I added Shibori ribbon and cone shaped tubes of seed beads in various shades of blue and green, imported from Japan and the Czech Republic, as well as crystals and diamante cup chain. The pendant is 5.5" x 4" . The shibori ribbon 'waves' and the cone shaped tubes of beads that signify eddying water are padded out with felt to ensure that they stand proud, giving it an extra dimension, as is the back of the piece.
There are four little extension components along either side of the main pendant by embroidering around crystal teardrop components, and a handmade chain with blue agate beads to hold the piece together. Hook closure, with the ability to extend the drop of the necklace by approximately 2 ".
£
85.00
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St Elmo's Fire
A spectacular necklace that evolved around a beautiful piece of dichroic glass which reminded me of flames shooting off into the night. St Elmo's fire is a natural phenomenon and I will talk about it on my blog this week. The necklace depicts a starry night that erupts into flames all over the left side of the piece, while the right side has twinkly crystals and pearls amongst other pretty elements. The back is covered by ultrasuede.
At it's widest, the necklace is about 2.5" and it sits close around the neck, with a double toggle clasp that allows a 2" drop if required by your neckline.
This is a truly beautiful evening necklace, and as it is light and flexible, it is easy to wear. It has been an extremely labour intensive piece to make, but I have enjoyed every minute of it. I'm sure you will love it too. This piece is eminently suitable for those who like a showpiece but do not want it to be too big.
£
100.00
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Cupid Shibori Earrings
3" long earrings, with a Shibori silk inset, beadwork and Czech pressed glass leaves. Pale green shading to pink, with a bright green crystal and clam shell studs, inset with little diamante. A beautiful pair of earrings, and light too - only 14 gms each which makes them perfect for a special occasion. Backed with ultrasuede to keep them clean and tidy.
£
28.00
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Pearl River Shibori earrings
Orange/Yellow Shibori silk rectangles with peach potato freshwater pearls, crystals and seed bead embroidery backed with ultrasuede and with stud findings. 3" long and 8.5 gms each, light and easy to wear, a real showpiece!
£
25.00
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Bring me Sunshine
Orange/Yellow Shibori silk rectangles with blue seed beads, copper flowers, a teardrop shaped 'gemstone' crystal and seed bead embroidery backed with ultrasuede and with diamante hoopfindings. 3" long and 8.5 gms each, light and easy to wear, a real showpiece!
£
25.00
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Mucha Inspired Art Nouveau Earrings
Mucha Earrings 1
Art Nouveau Mucha inspired earrings with a whisper of pleated JapaneseShibori silk in green and pale pink, lavishly embroidered with little Czech beads and Swarovski crystals and a little teardrop dangling from the tip. At the top is an Art Nouveau flower imported from the USA in vintage brass. The earrings are as light as a feather and backed with ultrasuede. They dangle from ear studs to give further support to your ear lobes.
3.2" long including the little crystal dangle.
£
28.00
Mucha earrings 2
Art Nouveau Mucha inspired earrings with a whisper of pleated Japanese Shibori silk in orangeand pink, lavishly embroidered with little Czech beads and Swarovski crystals and a little teardrop dangling from the tip. At the top is an Art Nouveau flower imported from the USA in vintage brass. The earrings are as light as a feather and backed with ultrasuede. They dangle from ear studs to give further support to your ear lobes.
3.5" long including the little crystal dangle.
£
28.00
Mucha Earrings 3
Art Nouveau Mucha inspired earrings with a whisper of pleated Japanese Shibori silk in teal blue and steel grey, lavishly embroidered with little Czech beads, pearls and Swarovski crystals and a little blue leaf dangling from the tip. At the top is an Art Nouveau flower imported from the USA in vintage brass. The earrings are as light as a feather and backed with ultrasuede. They dangle from ear studs to give further support to your ear lobes.
3.2" long including the little crystal leaf.
£
28.00
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