This elaborate necklace design is full of steampunk romance that is perfect for complementing alternative Valentine's Day style. With random watch parts and base metal gears, this heart focal is the ultimate mixed media masterpiece.
Step one:
Draw a large heart shape inside one Lillypilly 3x3-inch red wine patina copper sheet. Try and stretch it across the entire width of the sheet. Cut the shape out using straight shears with a single spring. Repeat this process for the second red wine patina copper sheet.
Step two:
Bend and curve the edges of each heart so they fit together and create a hollow heart shape. Do this by using various techniques with the help of nylon jaw pliers, chain nose pliers and a ball pein hammer with a bench block. The shapes do not need to fit exactly.
Step three:
Determine which half of the heart will be the front of the pendant. Cut one 1.5x.75-inch piece of Lillypilly 3x3-inch mottled patina copper sheet. Create a hole in each corner using the hole punching pliers. Lay the mottled patina copper sheet on the front half of the pendant in your desired area and mark the holes with a pen. Punch the holes using the Metal Complex 1.5 and 2mm hole punch and attach this piece using four copper-plated brass rivets. Read our Handy Tip on how to use rivets if you need help.
Step four:
Embellish the inside upper right corner of the backside of the pendant with two 15mm stainless steel screw and bolt sets fashioned with various wire, screws, bolts and watch parts. The hole punch provides appropriate sized holes to accommodate the screw and bolt sets.. We used a combination of screws, bolts, watch parts and adhesive to create our gear design and you may experiment with any combination that you like.
Step five:
Cut a small opening in the top right corner of the front half of the heart that will expose the gear embellishment you created in Step four when the two halves come together. Using a pair of pliers, pull the edges of the opening over to make it look like a rip. Adorn the top left corner of this heart with other watch parts and various screws and bolts, as well as the Kabela antique brass clock hand charms. Use E6000 and Beadfix adhesive to hold everything in place.
Step six:
Drill a bigger hole through the center of the 19mm antique brass spoked gear link and the 16mm Antique Brass Solid Gear Embellishment that is big enough to accommodate the TierraCast winding key charm. Decide where to place the winding key and drill a hole in the front half of the heart. Thread the spoked gear link onto the winding key charm and then through the hole you predrilled in the heart. Next, thread the 16mm solid gear embellishment onto the winding key charm and add a little E-6000 to hold it in place. Let dry.
Step seven:
Punch holes along one edge of each heart using hole punching pliers. Cut approximately ten inches of 22 gauge bare copper artistic wire and stitch through the holes to connect the two heart shapes. We added silver medium French wire to our copper wire stitches to look like springs. The uneven pattern will add to this necklace's asymmetrical feel.
Step eight:
Using the needle file set, scuff up the sterling silver 100 diamond cut chain. Rub black Gilders Paste on the chain to give it a weathered appearance. Add Gilders Paste to any other areas of the pendant where you would like to achieve this effect.
Step nine:
Wrap the chain around the heart focal so that it crosses over itself twice. Leave a loose loop at the top of the heart and approximately 2 inches dangling from the bottom. Keep the chain in place by attaching it to the heart with screws and bolts where needed. We used 4.5mm antique brass-plated 21 gauge open jump rings attached to a link on the sterling chain for the screw sets to attach to.
Step ten:
Connect the 17x6mm brass key for heart quote charm, the TierraCast black finish pewter key charm and the TierraCast antique silver-plated pewter quatrefoil key charm together with one 7mm sterling silver split ring. Attach the split ring to the dangling chain end.
Step eleven:
Cut 2 feet of antique brass-plated textured double oval link chain. Attach one 10mm antique brass-plated 13 gauge open jump ring to each open end of the antique brass-plated chain. Connect one jump ring to the hook portion of the JBB antique vintage brass-plated pewter hook and eye clasp and the other jump ring to the eye portion.
Step twelve:
Measure approximately 21 inches down the antique brass-plated textured double oval link chain and attach the closest link to the diamond cut cable chain loop atop the heart using the sterling silver 12x16mm padlock clasp.
