Year of Jewelry Week 9: Take a Leap

On March 1, 2012 I can’t possibly be the only person who immediately thought “frog” when I ran across this week’s theme “Take A Leap”, though I realize that’s not exactly the most original association. And, since I simply didn’t want to construct tiny animals out of wire, I thought of something else I’d yet to do…. weave a cross. And suddenly, this theme turned from “Take A Leap” to “Leap of Faith” and all was right with the world.

Except…. I’m about as religious as drywall.

And as with anything which I am unfamiliar, I had to Google it. How sad, right? Google crosses. But I really had no clue where to start. My experience with crosses somehow only involved popsicle sticks in Sunday school, or yarn God’s Eyes at camp, which technically might not even qualify. And I hated camp anyway.

But I did, however, like the idea of a multi-wire weave. I liked the idea of wire waves. But I wasn’t much a fan of those little looped wire ends. Everyone does that. It’s expected and the easiest solution to the problem of more than a dozen wire ends sticking every which way, and it just didn’t sit right with me. I needed to tuck those ends away somewhere, and the most logical solution was around and behind the center “embellishment”. So, I introduce my first wire woven cross, available for viewing here.

A nice 10mm black Swarovski crystal bead is the central focal around which all the little tiddly bits revolve, creating a nice symmetrical look with a bit of flash and flare. I’m not entirely sure flash, flare and crosses should so easily co-mingle, but it seemed inherently unavoidable in this particular creative assessment. And, even so, the flash and flare were not so contradictory to the subject that one detracts from the other. I think I ended up with a nice cohesive whole.

And a large cohesive whole. Sigh.

As you can see from the picture above, this thing is massive. You might as well have it hanging over your fireplace with a tiny devotional altar just below. I completely miscalculated my original weave, and that set the size in the end. Having done one now, however, I know where my error lies, and can avoid it in the future. And, despite the large size, or perhaps because of it, it has a strange Gothic appeal. A nice black 2″ wide satin ribbon would make a beautiful choker, with this cross hanging from its center.

But aside from the logistics, there was something soothing about it’s construction. The problems typically encountered with new designs seemed as elusive as fog in my hand. I began this project with a mess of wire and yet each step evolved from one to the other with little complication and an easy need to finish. Divine inspiration, perhaps? I’m not one to say. But I’m not one to discount it either.

Enjoy and happy weaving everyone! I hope something inspires you today.