Thread Heaven

I couldn't resist this project when I found it poking around Mollie Makes, so I made my own:

I made some changes along the way, however.  I used DMC embroidery floss in lots of colors:

oooh ... pretty ...

Because this thread is thicker than the thread used by the Mollie Makes people, I only needed 60 strands instead of 137.  Each skein was just long enough to provide three lengths of 2.3 meters, so that meant 20 colors.

ready to start!

From there I followed the directions until the end; I wanted a proper clasp rather than just tying the ends together.  On the end of the necklace where all the strands were folded in half I took the length of yellow thread holding them together and wrapped it around and knotted it a few more times:

I then opened up an eyepin and hooked the loop around the yellow thread, closing the loop again:

The skinny eyepin is hard to see!

I threaded onto the eyepin a nice, sturdy cone (Bali silver):

and cut the excess wire, finishing with a wire-wrapped loop:

The other end of the necklace was trickier, because it had the cut end of the threads. At the point where I wanted the clasp I tied some red thread around the braids as securely as I could:

and then nervously cut off the rest of the braids:

eek!

I used the ends of the red thread to tie a loose loop that I could use to attach another eyepin:

and finished it off with another cone:

I thought about trimming the ends of the thread, but I kinda like the way it looks like fringe.

To finish the necklace I used a toggle clasp, which I extended on either side with a bit of silver chain.  The original length fit well enough around my neck, but in the summer heat and humidity the necklace felt more like a scarf.

I love it.  So does Beadboy3; he keeps trying to yank it off my neck.

These I'll save for another project.