Soutache Jewelry

I don't know if I've been living under a rock or what...but, look what has come to my attention lately - Soutache Jewelry.

Allegro Appassionato by Anneta Valious

Soutache is a type of braided trim traditionally used in the textile industry for decoration on a piece of fabric (i.e. clothing and/or drapery), but it can also be used functionally as in to cover a seam.  It looks like a flat, shiny piece of braided trim with a groove down the center and is available in hundreds of colors. Today, many people are using soutache to cover the hem of bridal veils or to create floral patterns. And, now - to create lovely pieces of beaded and soutache jewelry - like French Beader, Anneta Valious.

Anneta uses soutache to create beautiful neckpieces, earrings and bracelets, like this one:

Naiade Bracelet by Anneta Valious

And, stunning necklaces like these:

Lys Bleu by Anneta Valious

Romantic Garden by Anneta Valious

For the past several weeks, Beadsmith has been posting pictures of soutache jewelry created by some of their followers and I am completely hooked. Luckily, Anneta has written a book entitled Bead Embroidery with Soutache: 25 Gorgeous Jewelry Projects with Decorative Braid that will be released by Lark Crafts around June 2013 (and I can't wait).

If you can't wait either and want to try using soutache in your work, here are a couple of links to tutorials:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omv8dmbWze4 (in Italian)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuwdAEJfmLM (More like a slide show and it's fast, but I really like this one).
http://www.oceaniecreations.fr/blog/schema-bijoux-perles-broderie-a-la-soutache/ (in French, but with great pictures)

And, here's one from Anneta Valious herself.

http://www.mylovelybeads.com/php/class/previewClass.php?num=2&key=soutache&lan=en

In the meantime, enjoy more eye candy created by another soutache beader, Andrea Zelenak of Romania.

Soutache Jewelry by Andrea Zelenak of Romania. Photo courtesy of Beadsmith


(Photos of artwork by Anneta Valious  used with permission of the artist)