New set: Layered Necklace, Earrings and Bracelet

I'm not quite sure where the inspiration came from on this necklace outside of the fact that I have a bunch of 15/0 seed beads pulled for the colorway I'm using for my Spring 2015 jewelry.  I love doing the St. Petersburg Chain stitch with 15/0s and I've been rolling around an idea for a layered necklace for quite a while.

Layered Necklace $220.00

I'm not totally happy with the kinking that is happening with the stitch, but as it hangs, it'll work itself out over time...or I might steam it.  It does give this piece a very different look though.

Necklace detail

I first was trying to stitch accent beads into this necklace, but I had a hard time telling how it was going to hang.  So I grabbed my dress form and it made it so much easier! 

Trying to bead without the dress form.

Ah, now that's better.

Approved stopping point via social media comments.

(Thanks everyone!)

Test run, go dancing.

So I like to wear my jewelry in a normal setting to see how it wears and holds up.  I went out to see a favorite cover band of mine (The Cheap Dates) and while I was dancing I found this necklace to be really lightweight.  It didn't threaten to jump off from around my head, but it can end up around your back (if you bounce a lot).  It didn't tangle at all (yay!) and even though it wasn't laying just flat, it had a really nice look to it still when flipped (see above).

Earrings $45.00

I made the earring set to go with the necklace, these only take me about 2 hours to make (that's quick for my beadwork!)

Layered Bracelets; Plain $70.00

With Accent Beads $80.00

I have to say, posting to Facebook and Instagram have been helpful in  some decisions on the necklace.  I didn't want to go overboard with this first one, and your comments helped me figure out it was ok to stop and say the piece was done.  I also posted the below comparison image to decide whether to keep the bracelet "plain" or add in the pearls and accent beads.  I have to say that the responses were almost 50/50, so I made one of each.

The original bracelet design I put a lobster clasp on, but I really thought the glass pearls looked better, so I swapped the first one out and did a pearl on the second one too.  The plain bracelet took me around 3 hours to finish and adding in the accents were an additional hour.  I didn't time myself on the necklace, maybe next time.