Getting some closure

I recently enrolled in another on-line jewelry class from the awesome Deryn Mentock.  This is my forth on-line class with Deryn, and although I've never met her, I feel like we've made a real connection.  She is not only an excellent teacher but fabulously creative and artistic.  Her jewelry is featured on the cover of the current (Spring 2012) Belle Armoire magazine.  The class I'm taking now is called the Art of Closure and we're learning to make cool handmade closures.  Why use a boring purchased clasp when you can create your own.

Here's a necklace I made using Deryn's closure techniques including:  handmade jump rings, S hooks, a stacked bead closure, wrapped fabric loops and a single ball hook.  This necklace closes on the left with a stacked closure made with beads and a bronze metal disk.  The chartreuse colored sari silk loops around the stacked closure.  Although not taught in this class, I soldered my jump rings closed to give them more stability.  I also made a metal etched bronze disk that I attached (on the left) between the small turquoise bead and the small coral beads.

Necklace with sari ribbon, semi precious beads on wire wrapped bronze and handmade bronze findings

Another view of the necklace.  

Close up of single ball hook (on the left) and metal etched bronze disk (on the right) that I dapped and drilled two holes into to use as a bead

Close up of the focal and bronze disk.  I added a piece of the chartreuse sari ribbon to the focal - this is the same colored ribbon that I've used as the loop closure.  I made the jump rings and soldered the big one closed - I like the look of the rustic solder showing.

Close up of the S link

Close up of the stacked closure which is made from a bronze disk which I cut, distressed and formed on the dapping block.  I added a large carnelian bead, a rhinestone bead, metal heishi and attached it all with a balled end wire; on the other end I formed a loop and attached it to a jump ring which I soldered closed.   The sari ribbon forms a loop which acts as a buttonhole for the stacked closure bead.  I added tiny carnelian beads to a wire and wrapped it around the loop.