Jurassic New Art
It seems that animals were a great favourite of the Art Nouveau period. Butterflies, snails, dragonflies, peacocks, snakes, etc. were often represented on various pieces of jewellery of that time.
I have chosen to make a crocheted brooch of a silver snail for this week's project. I had a lovely ammonite waiting in my goodies box for something just like this. It was found in Madagascar, and it is about 165 million years-old, from the jurassic period.
Ammonites are not expensive because they are fairly common, but they are soooo pretty! This brooch measures about 2¼ inch long by 1½ inch tall, so I guess that it will take someone not too shy to pin an old fossile on her sweater!
-- Johanne
Johanne, I love it! you are so creative with this technique...great work! Stephanie R.
Posted by: Stephanie | January 26, 2006 at 11:38 PM
What a fabulous idea! Witty and pretty all in one piece!
Posted by: Jess | January 27, 2006 at 01:24 AM
Ohhh, that is so cute!
Posted by: varuamoon | January 27, 2006 at 06:18 PM
Thank you all for you comments on little friend. I knew I wanted to make a snail, but I could not decide between using Sorcie's technique for a spiraled shell, using an actual shell I had in my stash or make a very simple wire shape... Then I opened my box, looking for something else, and tadam!!! It was there, the ammonite, waiting for me to crochet a snail all around! LOL!
Posted by: JohanneQc | January 27, 2006 at 06:24 PM
This is just totally DARLING!
Do you do a row of crochet with fewer stitches to contract around the edge of a piece like this to hold it in, or can you just push the wire into shape so that the crocheted "bezel" holds on to the piece? I have been trying the technique around a slice of agate, and I'm afraid the stone will just fall out.
Posted by: Abigail Miller | January 27, 2006 at 07:12 PM
Thank you Abigail. I replied to your question in the Week 15 thread in the forum's FSOJ's folder. http://forums.delphiforums.com/wirejewelry/messages?msg=12483.23
Posted by: JohanneQc | January 28, 2006 at 10:31 AM
Tell me - other than with the spool - do you recommend a person learn to crochet with thread or yarn b4 trying wire?
BTW - I wear this broach in a heartbeat!
Ev
Posted by: Evelyn Barney | January 28, 2006 at 11:07 AM
Ev,
Please see my reply to your question in the Week 15 thread in the FSOJ folder of CWJ. http://forums.delphiforums.com/wirejewelry/messages?msg=12483.25
Posted by: JohanneQc | January 28, 2006 at 01:57 PM