Egyptian faience necklace

Selfie wearing Egyptian Faience necklace

Although I haven’t even started pleating the fabric for my linen Egyptian dress (based off the synthetic ‘practice’ one I did in 2017) I still wanted to make a more period-appropriate necklace to go with this outfit. Originally I wanted to blend the Faience beads I recently got back from a friend’s kiln with some lapis lazuli beads I bought locally, as as explored on New Egyptian necklace research, but ended up not liking the combination together, likely because of the shape/size of beads and the texture difference. (As discussed in Lapis Lazuli necklace.)

Lapis lazuli necklace

Hand-strung Egyptian-influenced necklace of lapis lazuli beads

Although I haven’t even started pleating the fabric for my linen Egyptian dress (based off the synthetic ‘practice’ one I did in 2017) I still wanted to make a more period-appropriate necklace to go with this outfit. I picked up some lapis lazuli beads from The Bead Store Fashion Jewellery Outlet in Calgary, as well as some lapis beads from Michaels, and thought I would use them along with the Faience beads I recently got back from a friend’s kiln.

Beaded necklaces for largesse

Beaded necklaces I made to give away as largesse

The Baron and Baroness of our Barony put out a post not too long ago looking for largesse as their coffers are running low from giving away so much!

Stringing beads for a little necklace for largesse

Since the current royals have let us know that they don’t need any more of my go-to largesse (little  sweet bags/purses/pouches) which uses up scrap material and doesn’t really cost me anything, I was in a bit of a quandary about what to make. I really can’t justify the cost of going out and buying more supplies right now. The benefit of the little bags is that I can make a lot without it costing me a lot… but I guess after donating several dozen – they’re full! 

Egyptian Faience – the results

Turquoise Faience beads and pendants

About a year ago, I helped organize a class taught by Alysa from Fuzzy Lizard Studios on Egyptian Faience. In today’s post I’ll show off some of the results…

After nearly a year of sitting around… the turquoise beads were completely white

It took a while to get to this point. In the class I made a number of beads and other ornaments, with the plan to get together with other classmates in a few weeks later to have them fired at a local kiln that Alysa had researched for us. I also bought two additional packages of clay-powder to make more beads, but didn’t get right around to making it up into anything.

Bead hangers

Finished bead hanger

One of the artisans in my SCA Barony offered to teach a bronze casting class in early November. His offer was to cast either an early or later-period sword pommel, but then also offered that students could cast another reasonably flat object if they wouldn’t use a pommel.

One student asked about a penannular brooch, but I had something different in mind – bead hangers in the style of a 9th century Finnish find.