Vintage! Chain

Mmmmm. Vintage chain. I have a few bags full of vintage chain that I've amassed over time, and I thought it was time to put it to use. A friend of mine wanted a simple silver necklace, and that was quite a challenge for me. You know, I want to add sparkly stuff and dangles and sirens. I can't help myself. But I managed to make her one for Christmas, and she loved it. So, I made another for my etsy shop, Unchained Melody. The chain is all vintage, with some lovely little vintage connectors mixed with contemporary rope motif connectors and solid twisted rings. It's different from what I usually design, and very wearable and classic, so that made me happy.

I decided to make a second one, The Road to Mandalay. This one is a little more in the MAB vein. It's asymmetrical, with three sections of tripled vintage gold chain, a mix of small flat link chain and ball chain with textured stations. The chain is from a Fifties era multi-strand bracelet. This one needed dangles, darlings, dangles! I added two charms from a Fifties charm bracelet, an Egyptian face with a green rhinestone, and an Asian motif charm. Then, I finished it off with a vintage gold box clasp. Every single bit of this is repurposed vintage. It is kind of delicious.

I have some chain with bigger, unusual links. The larger links might be fab for dangling pendants or charms. I'm still mulling over ideas here. I love making something fresh with these little treasures that I've had tucked away for awhile, and trying out new ideas. Not everything has to have a gala of glittering crystals, right? Just most things, like 98% of things.