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Old Jewelry

Find Hidden Treasure in Old Jewelry

Never toss out old or damaged jewelry. Salvage any parts that might be reused. Ask your friends to do the same. One woman’s junk is another’s treasure. You may be amazed at how beautifully some stones and findings clean up. The two necklaces below were made almost entirely from my treasure chest of old “jewels”.

Found Treasure Necklace One

The pendant pictured above is authentic pale green jade and beautifully carved. It was not even jewelry originally; but rather a decorative fob on an Oriental box a friend had in her closet. Now it is out of the closet and gracing her neck. People constantly ask where she ever found such a unique piece.

The tassel is almost exactly the same color as thin gold crochet thread, so I used a double strand of crochet thread for the “chain”. Since the tassel and chain are separated by four inches of pendant and beads, even the most discerning eye can’t see the difference.

The spacer beads and flat orange beads were also from my treasure chest. The double strand of thread was difficult to pass through the tiny hole at the top of the pendant.

So I folded a four-inch piece of monofilament plastic beading cord in half over the center of the double strand; threaded it through the tiny hole; and gently pulled the crochet thread through. [Thin stones and beads can be quite brittle, so always work gently if something needs to be forced a bit.]

Finishing Directions

Fold the four strands of thread back through the loop created by pulling the crochet thread through the hole and gently tighten to secure the pendant to the thread. Again using the piece of filament cord as a threader, pull all four strands through the center bead. Tie a double knot tight to the top of the spacer and separate the strands into two and two.

Decide where to place your first side beads and tie a double knot. Thread on the first bead set and tie another double knot.

To get the knot tight against the beads, tie the first knot around an extra large sewing or crewel needle and work the thread down against the beads before withdrawing the needle.

Then tighten the knot.

There will be a little slack that is taken care of by tying the second knot between the first knot and the bead. [Make sure that your beads cannot slip past the double knot and spoil your carefully positioned arrangement. If they can, add a bead with a smaller hole on each side of the arrangement.]

Continue in the same fashion to complete one side of the necklace chain. Then proceed to the other side.

Use the needle trick to position each bead set to match the first side. Tie the threads around a needle and before tightening, jiggle the needle up or down as needed. When you are satisfied with the position, withdraw the needle and tighten the knot.

Tie a toggle clasp to each end of double thread and hide the knot by winding the thread over it several times.

Pull the ends back through and tighten.

Since crochet thread knots can slip, secure the knots on the toggle and the pendant with a drop of white or other transparent glue. Once the glue is thoroughly dry, snip off the loose ends of thread with a sharp cuticle scissors.

Found Treasure Necklace Two

The ethnic-looking craved jade head demanded a more casual necklace design. I rummaged through my treasure chest to find the small jade and amber stones for the sides.

I knew I wanted to use tiger tail wire threaded through black rubber tubing for the casual look but found that, no matter how tightly I butt-ended the jump ring holding the mask, it could easily slip off.

So I overlapped the ends of the jump ring and hid the fact with two side glass beads that resemble pale jade. Alternatively, I could have hung the mask over the rubber tubing and butt-ended the jump ring.

However, I wanted the mask securely in the center so the wearer wouldn’t have to constantly adjust it.

Finishing Directions

Once the mask is strung, clamp one end. Lay out your side beads and decide how long the rubber tubing pieces need to be.

The rest is a piece of cake.

Thread tube, beads and tube. Run the tiger tail through a crimp bead, through the ring of a toggle and back through the crimp bead.

Firmly crimp the crimp bead with a jeweler’s pliers. Make sure it has grabbed the tiger tail; and cut off the excess.

For more tips on salvaging hidden treasure, see my article on cleaning found beads and findings.

Visit the Jewelry Index Page for more articles.

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