by Mark Montano
1 Cut your chain into two pieces, 16 inches and 9 inches long.
2 Starting in the center of the 16-inch piece, push five bobby pins through each link, working your way up symmetrically on both sides from the middle of the chain. Continue until you’ve put five bobby pins on 14 links.
3 Fill 11 links on the 9-inch chain, again starting in the middle and working your way up.
4 Take the end links of the shorter chain and attach them to the longer chain where the bobby pins end on both sides. Leave a couple of links in between the last set of bobby pins and the end link.
5 Add jump rings to the ends of the longer chain and a lobster claw on one side for the closure.
FEATHER FANTASTIC!
I have used feathers in my design work forever, and I’m not entirely sure, but I think this might be my favorite use of a feather design to date. How great would this look on a handbag!
Suggestion:
Try mixing silver
feathers with gold feathers.
YOU’LL NEED
Jacket
66 large safety pins per feather (nos. 3 or 4)
28 (11/2-inch) safety pins per feather
22 inches of crystal chain per feather
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
E-6000 glue
HERE’S HOW
1 Decide where you want your feathers on your jacket.
2 Cut 22 inches of crystal chain per feather. Lay your jacket flat and glue the crystal chain to the jacket with a thin line of E-6000 glue and let dry. This is your feather’s spine. Give it some gentle curves.
3 Starting with your larger safety pins and leaving about 5 inches at the base of your spine, create the feather by pinning up one side and angling them more and more acutely until you reach the top of the spine. The top safety pin of the feather is aligned with the direction of the spine at the top.
4 At the base of the feather, create “fluff” by fixing the pins in a more random order, but making sure they are still pinned in the same general direction, as shown below. These pins are not placed as uniformly as the larger pins.
Hint:
This is definitely a hand-wash, dry-clean, or spot-clean item.
BOBBY’S RED GEM NECKLACE AND EARRINGS
I wanted to do something different with bobby pins—something that hadn’t been seen before—and this is what I came up with. I think we need to further explore how we can make these affordable little wires into amazing pieces of jewelry. I’m sure you can come up with some piece of your own . . . and when you do, make sure to let me know, okay?
YOU’LL NEED
FOR THE NECKLACE
45 bobby pins
18 flat-back crystal or acrylic gems (1-inch diameter)
E-6000 glue
11 gunmetal jump rings
16 inches of black chain (www.createforless.com)
1 lobster claw closure
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
FOR THE EARRINGS
2 gunmetal earring wires
HERE’S HOW
1 Glue five bobby pins to the back of one of your gems with E-6000, making sure that the middle bobby pin extends above the edge of the gem. This is where you will attach a jump ring and hang it from the chain.
2 Add some E-6000 to another gem. Sandwich the five bobby pins between the two gems and let dry.
3 Make nine of these (but if you’re making the matching earrings, make two more).
4 Attach a jump ring to the bobby pin that is sticking out from the gems and attach it to your black chain at the exact center.
5 Continue adding your bobby pin gems to your necklace, working your way out evenly from the center.
6 Add jump rings to the ends of the chain and a lobster claw for the closure.
FOR THE EARRINGS
1 Make two bobby pin gems following the instructions for the necklace.
2 Add a jump ring and an earring wire to make your earrings.
Now, that was easy, wasn’t it?
PIN AND PEARLS
Why not inject a little glamour into something traditionally associated with punk? Add some pearls to pins and a few crystals and faster than you can say “mosh pit,” you’ve got an amazing statement piece that is sure to put you center stage. Besides, it’s safer to be center stage when people are moshing—that way, you won’t ruin your dress.
YOU’LL NEED
16 inches of large-link silver-tone chain
10 silver-tone chains of various sizes and lengths
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
60 large pearl beads
20 silver beads of various sizes
30 large (no. 3) safety pins
15 smaller safety pins in various sizes
30 silver-tone jump rings
3 large crystal or acrylic stitch-on gems
Hint:
Your necklace will likely look a bit different from mine . . . But, knowing you, it will turn out much, much better!
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut a 16-inch piece of large chain. This is your base chain from which everything will hang.
2 Take 15 large safety pins, string them with pearls, and close them.
3 Add a jump ring to each end of the pin and attach one to a 6-inch piece of chain and the other to the base chain about 6 inches from the end.
4 Add another jump ring to the end of the base chain and attach it asymmetrically a few inches away so that it hangs from the base chain.
5 Cut small pieces of chain anywhere from 2 inches to 3 inches in length and attach them with the safety pins. This will add heft and a more jumbled look to your piece.
6 Continue with small pieces of chain anywhere from 3 inches to 6 inches in length, hanging them from both the base chain and the other chains.
7 Hang pins without chains from jump rings throughout to fill up blank spaces.
8 When your necklace is filled with chains, pearls, and pins, decide where you are going to hang your crystals and attach them with jump rings.
9 Use another large safety pin as a closure in the back by pinning it through the last links in your chain.
BOBBY PIN COUTURE
I can see this piece walking down a runway in Milan during Fashion Week, sending everyone scrambling to get their hands on it. Can’t you see it with a Prada dress and a big square handbag?
YOU’LL NEED
9 inches of heavy-gauge wire that doesn’t bend easily
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
36 inches of medium silver-tone chain
75 bobby pins
3 large stitch-on crystals or acrylic gems
5 large silver-tone jump rings
1 silver-tone lobster claw closure
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut your wire into three equal pieces and bend loops on one side of each piece with your needle-nose pliers.
2 Cut two 18-inch pieces of chain. Thread the wire through one of the chains about 21/2 inches from the end.
3 String 25 bobby pins along the wire and thread the wire through the other chain the same distance from the end.
4 Create another loop with your needle-nose pliers. This will keep it in place.
5 Working your way up the chains, measure above the first set of bobby pins the length of a bobby pin plus 3/8 inch and thread your second wire through the chains.
6 Repeat steps 3 and 4.
7 Repeat steps 3, 4, and 5 for the last row of bobby pins.
8 Add jump rings to the end of your chains and a lobster claw for the closure.
9 Hang the crystals from jump rings at the center of each row of bobby pins.
HATS OFF TO YOU!
Hatpins used to be part of everyone’s daily attire. Now we rarely see them. I decided that it was time to bring them back—even if you don’t wear a hat! These would look amazing pinned on the lapel of a jacket or on the flap of a hand
bag. One way or another, I’m going to make sure that the PIN is IN!
BIRD HATPIN
I’ve worn this hat to a fashion show and wow, did people go nuts. Perhaps it was a little teensy-weensy bit flamboyant for a guy to wear, but who cares. I had a blast wearing it! It was even more fun making it. I’m hoping that feathers stay in style for a long time to come. I know that they always look terrific on hats.
YOU’LL NEED
Melt Art Mold-n-Pour molding putty
Plastic bird figurine
ICE Resin or Smooth-Cast 300
Lumiere Halo Blue Gold metallic paint
Paintbrush
Hatpin blank (find one at www.buy.com)
Feather hackle pad (a finished group of several feathers attached to fabric), about 5 inches by 7 inches
E-6000 glue
Rubber or plastic gloves
Hint:
Many of these items can be purchased at www.createforless.com!
HERE’S HOW
1 Knead the molding putty according to the instructions that I provide and spread it around the bird head figurine. (If you need to, review the Mold & Cast, Bold and Fast! chapter.) Your mold will be done in 10 minutes!
2 Mix your resin (outside and wearing gloves) or mix your Smooth-Cast 300 casting liquid. Fill your bird mold as shown below and let set.
3 Remove the cast bird head after it’s set, paint it with the Lumiere Halo Blue Gold, and let dry.
4 Stick the blunt end of the hatpin through the back of the feather hackle pad so that it sticks out on top, just under where your bird head will be. You will have to work it through the fabric.
5 Using a generous amount of E-6000, glue your bird head on top of the feather hackle pad while sandwiching the hatpin in between and let dry.
VINTAGE IMAGE HATPIN
I say we bring back the hatpin! It’s been neglected far too long. I, for one, am a huge fan of hats, since my hair has a mind of its own. When that happens, I silence it with a chic chapeau! After I finished this project, I thought of how much cooler it would have been with a photo of my grandpa! You can use whatever image you want for this project. Make several and wear them at the same time!
YOU’LL NEED
Aluminum flashing
Tin shears or heavy-duty scissors with serrated blades
Scrap wood
Image you want to use
Scissors
Elmer’s Glue-All
E-6000 glue
Small piece of leather or vinyl
ICE Resin or Mod Podge Dimensional Magic
Hatpin blank
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut your aluminum flashing into an oval the size you want for the top of the hatpin with tin shears or heavy-duty serrated scissors.
2 Cut out your image so that it’s just a bit smaller than the aluminum oval shape.
3 In the leather or vinyl, cut out an oval just a bit smaller than your aluminum oval.
4 Carefully glue the image on the aluminum oval with Elmer’s Glue-All and let dry.
5 Coat your image with ICE Resin (see for tips and instructions for use) or Mod Podge Dimensional Magic and let dry.
6 Glue your hatpin on the back with E-6000 and then glue the vinyl or leather oval as a backing and let dry.
RINGS AND FEATHERS HATPIN
I’ve been hitting the dollar store for kooky rings to use on other projects. Mainly hatpins. It seems like the less I want to comb my hair, the more I want to wear a cool hat so people won’t know how truly lazy I am in the morning. There are tons of rings to choose from, and they are all perfect for this project. Because the rings are inexpensive, they are really easy to take apart. BTW, I think this pin would look terrific on a blazer, too.
YOU’LL NEED
Ring you can take apart
Wirecutters
Iron and ironing board (or a countertop with a towel, which is what I use)
12 inches of 2-inch ribbon or fabric that you can iron into a 2-inch band
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
E-6000 glue
Hatpin blank
Goose feathers in colors you like (www.createforless.com has a terrific selection)
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut an 8-inch piece of ribbon or fabric strip and fold in the ends so they meet in the center. Glue the ends down in the center with tiny dabs of hot glue.
2 Pinch the bow in the center and hot-glue it in place.
3 Take your 4-inch piece of ribbon and fold in the ends horizontally so that it’s only 3/4 inch wide and press.
4 Wrap the 3/4-inch piece around the center of your folded 8-inch piece twice and hot-glue the ends down in the back to create a bow. To make it neater in the back, you might want to tuck down the edge of the folded ribbon piece so it has a finished edge.
5 With wirecutters, remove the decorative piece on your ring. It should come off easily.
6 Take five or six goose feathers and hot glue them to the back of your decorative ring component.
7 Glue the ring component with feathers using E-6000 to the front of the bow and let dry. Be neat; you don’t want to see the glue.
8 Wriggle the blunt end of your hatpin inside the back of the bow and glue in place with a generous dab of E-6000 and let dry.
SCRAPPY FLOWER HATPIN
This is a simple gift to make someone who likes to wear hats. You could also wear it on a blazer or without the long pin—it could make a supercool brooch. I used a few little scraps of leather and vinyl that I just couldn’t throw away. Hey, you never know when you’ll need something again, right?
YOU’LL NEED
Piece of brown leather or suede 8 inches by 4 inches
1 piece of green leather or suede 8 inches by 4 inches
1 piece of beige leather or suede 3 inches by 3 inches
1 piece of green vinyl, leather, or suede 4 inches by 4 inches
4 inches of brown leather cord
1 pearl
E-6000 glue
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Hatpin blank
Hint:
www.createforless.com has all the colors of cord!
HERE’S HOW
1 Using the large flower pattern below, cut out a large brown flower and two green flowers just a tiny bit smaller than the brown.
2 Using the smaller flower pattern, cut out a brown flower and then a beige flower that is just a tiny bit smaller than the brown one.
3 Roll your strip of cord like a cinnamon roll and hot glue the end down so it makes a disk.
4 With E-6000, glue your hatpin to the large brown flower.
5 Glue the large green flower on top of that.
6 Glue on the next brown flower and then glue the beige flower on top of that.
7 Glue down your disk and then add the pearl in the center.
8 Flip over your hatpin and add the second green flower on the back.
OH, BABY!
I like using doll heads in my work. Not sure why, I just do. I get that some of you out there find them creepy, and that’s okay. I feel the same way about clowns. If you’ve been following my work these past twelve years, you know that I like to use doll heads from time to time. Joseph Cornell and many other influential artists loved using them, too, so I feel I’m in good company. If doll faces just are not for you, try replacing them with something else! How about a lion head or bird head? These projects are sure to look just as interesting with your favorite objects.
BABY HEAD NECKLACE
I feel sometimes that doll heads have a soul or that they are staring back at me. If you’re not a fan, use something else, like a bird or a flower. Whatever you do, don’t make a mold of a clown! That would push me over the edge.
YOU’LL NEED
Melt Art Mold-n-Pour molding putty (www.createforless.com)
Baby head or 3-D object you want to mold
ICE Resin or Smooth-Cast 300
Drill with small drill bit
Lumiere metallic blue paint
Med
ium silver-tone chain in length you want
3 large silver-tone jump rings
1 silver-tone lobster claw closure
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
HERE’S HOW
1 Knead your two-part molding putty according to instructions that I provide. (If you need to, review the Mold & Cast, Bold and Fast! chapter.) It’s supereasy, and once you get started, you’ll be addicted to it like I am! Smoosh it over the doll face, making sure that you have a decent amount around the face and that it’s covering all the parts you want to cast.
2 Let the mold set for 10 minutes. Yes, that’s all it takes! Remove your new mold.
3 Mix your resin (outside and wearing gloves) or mix your Smooth-Cast 300 casting liquid. Fill your mold and let set.
4 Remove cast head from the mold and drill a small hole at the top.
5 Paint your entire piece with the Lumiere blue metallic paint and let dry.
6 Cut the length of chain you want and hang the piece from a jump ring at the center of the chain.
7 Add jump rings to the ends of the chain and a lobster claw for the closure.