Awareness ribbons in glass?

[StellaBlue]

Ok, the holidays are here and I'm trying to make gifts for family members. As always, this takes me right out of my comfort zone, since it is about what they like/want rather than what I like to make or know how to make!

An aunt who has been very kind to me is a breast cancer survivor. Almost all of her jewelry now consists of pink breast cancer awareness ribbons. I'd like to make her a pendant and/or earrings to accompany a donation to a breast cancer research organization. I'm trying to figure out how to make them. Anyone who has done this successfully - I'd love to hear any tips you might have.

I picked up some CIM rose quartz, and I'm planning to try it either encasing some white or striped with white and pale pink pastel in a ribbon cane. I'm not sure yet, but there might be some rubino involvement. In any case. I'm thinking it needs to be pulled into a flat cane, so I'm leaning towards just laying stripes on a base paddle and pulling it.

Next step? I'm not sure whether it will be best to try these (eek!) off-mandrel or to try and kind of wrap the the flat canes around a larger mandrel. And then there is the mounting aspect - do I just put a big jump ring through the center of the ribbon, or do I (double-eek) try and make a glass loop on the top? (OMG, I have been spectacularly unsucessful at doing this with off-mandrell hearts). I'm thinking the ends of the ribbons should just be gently snipped and shaped to make the ribbon points. That should be the mostly-easy part provided I can manage the heat well enough to avoid melting the whole dang construct

If anyone has a tut or ideas or suggestions - I'd love to hear from you - thanks!

[Lara]

I don't know if this will help, but I made pink ribbon hearts and pink ribbon beads and just decorated a spree.

For the hearts I used a filigrana base and made the heart around it (like corina showed in her book).

For the others I just drapped the stringer into a ribbon shape.

If I could make them like you described, that would be more cool.

[Melodie]

I've never tired it but ....

for earrings I would make the flat ribbon, not too thin though, and form the shape off mandrel. Put this on a hot plate or in the kiln to keep warm. Make a small bead and once formed pull the ribbon out of the kiln. Heat one side of the bead pretty good and attach the ribbon at the top loop. I would make the bead small enough so it would not be seen once the ribbon is attached. Or ... make the small bead and attach the ribbon top to the bottom of the bead making the bead itself a sort of loop. Or ... simply make the ribbons and then loop wire through the top and let them dangle on the wire. For earrings I like the last way the best.

Don't know if this would hold up for a necklace unless the ribbon is thicker. Maybe back it with some clear to give it enough thickness so it wouldn't break easily? Earring shouldn't be a problem.

If you like this idea maybe I can put together a quick tutorial in the next day or two and post it back here for you.



Great beads Lara

[StellaBlue]

Lara, great beads, thanks for showing them! Melodie, I like the idea of making a sort of bead "bail" for the ribbons - neat! I'll try it out.