In this DIY I will show the main stages of working with hard soutache, tell you some secrets of how entry-level craftsmen can improve the quality of their work. More experienced craftsmen will be pleased to find here a detailed scheme and an assembly order of the decoration from separate elements. Although I am sure that the newcomers will be able to perform all the work if they make an effort!
The work requires the following:
- soutache of 4 colors;
- faceted rondel beads: 2.4 mm and 6 mm;
- Swarovski pearls: 4 mm;
- Toho beads: 11/0 and 15/0;
- small piece of genuine leather;
- beading needle (a few pieces);
- monofilament thread: 0.13 and 0.15;
- pointy-nose pliers;
- side cutter;
- superglue.
1. Take 3 pieces of soutache (brown, beige, light beige) 13 cm long. Fold them, combining in the center.
Please note: choose the direction of the pattern on the soutache (look at the first photo). During the whole process we must keep this direction. It's not a trick, a secret or a life hack. In my opinion, this should be the first rule of working with soutache (of any quality) if you want to get clear and smooth lines.
We will stitch the soutache with 0.13 monofilament thread. Take a piece of a convenient length and run it through the needle. Use a lighter to make a small ball on the end of the thread to secure it in the soutache.
After folding the soutache in half, retreat appr. 0.5 cm from the middle to the right. Leave the ball inside the loop, pass the needle through all the layers of soutache in both directions. Do not tighten too much.
Take a 6 mm turquoise bead. Sew a bead by wrapping it with soutache and passing the needle through it at least 4 times. If the needle gets stuck in the soutache, use pointy-nose pliers. Protect your fingers, you will need them :-)
Take the needle out diagonally, as shown in the photo.
Then pass the needle through all the layers of soutache 3-4 times without tightening. Now tightly hold the soutache with your fingers at the point of passage of the thread and tighten it. Thus, there won't be constrictions, we will get a smooth connection, the thread won't tear as it often happens with hard soutache.
Look at the connection. If the soutache falls apart repeat the previous steps.
Make a few stiches around the bead securing together the layers of soutache.
2. Take out the needle as shown in the photo. Sew turquoise beads, try not to leave gaps.
And now a life hack. I don't like that word, but it precisely describes a little trick which solves a big problem!
Take out the needle from the wrong side. Hook just a few strands of the soutache and tighten its inner edge (not too much!). It must be done exactly at the back of each bead. That's all! Now our beads do not dance and sink in the layers of the soutache. Before that you also put the needle through a bead to align the line. This effect is not noticeable on two beads but when you make a long row of beads the result is obvious.
One more remark. This trick is applicable for the soutache of high and medium hardness. I don't work with soft soutache and can't say how it will behave. If someone tries this trick on soft soutache, please share the result!
Repear all the steps symmetrically on the other side of the bead. Do that 3 more times :-) In the end we get 4 identical elements.
3. Start gathering the middle part of the pendant.
Make a rough estimation of where must be the connection point of elements. Hook 2 layers of the soutache (it is not handy to hook 3 layers at once) from the inside, fix the details with a couple of stitches. You don't need a lot of stitches here. The connection must be slightly movable, so you can move the elements and correct any asymmetry.
Connect all 4 parts one by one.
4. And now begins the most uncomfortable part of the entire work. Be patient and get started — the result is worth it.
First take a 4 mm red bead and 2 pieces of soutache (red & beige) 7 cm long. Repeat step 1.
Then put the new element between two elements in the middle, sew it on with several stitches taking the needle out from the front side strictly between the layers of the soutache.
Put the free ends of the soutache behind the red bead bending them from the cente and stitch them in the bending point. Do not forget to check the connection so that it doesn't fall apart. Turn down 3 layers of soutache and sew gold beads, forming a smooth curl with a pair of stitches.
Fix the curl passing the needle between the layers of the soutache. Use side cutters to cut off the spare ends of the soutache diagonally close to the seam. Use this tool, as it allows to cut all the unnecessary, and the cut is much straighter than with scissors.
Be careful not to cut anything necessary, use a lighter to fix the cut and slightly press it with your finger while it's still hot.
Repeat the same process on the other side. Cut the ends of the soutache from the red bead and melt them as shown in the photo. The soutache must cover the middle part.
Repeat the process in a circle. Cut the spare ends of the soutache on the wrong side as shown in the photo below, close to each other. There must be no extra space. We already see a good result.
Now you can exhale a little bit and put a kettle on :-)
5. Fasten the thread from the inside and put out the needle, as shown in the photo. Take 3 pieces of soutache (brown, red, beige), stepping 1.5-2 cm back from the edge, and sew brown beads. It is more convenient to put the needle out from the wrong side.
There must be 5 beads, leave a space for a pearl in the middle. Go to the wrong side and fix the row of beads.
We went back to the beginning of the row. Please note, the bead that we sewed first is almost invisible, but it is very important: it makes the line smooth. Fix the ends of the soutache between the elements of the middle. Repeat symmetrically on the other side. Sew the pearl in the middle.
Connect the spare ends of the soutache. Bend them to the wrong side and shape the curls. Once again, fix each curl with a couple of stitches so that the layers of soutache won't move when the work is finished.
Cut all the unnecessary on the wrong side, melt and fold as shown in 4 photos below. Pull the long ends to the center. I'll explain why you should do so. The embroidery is multi-layered, it is the third layer now and there will be another one. We need to fill all the voids in the center so that the wrong side of the finished piece don't fall.
Repeat these steps by circle. Here what we have. Try to keep symmetry relative to the center. The view from the front and the wrong side.
Notice that the wrong side at this stage is already smooth, without hillocks. Praise yourself, it's almost done. And finally, remember about the kettle you've put in the previous paragraph!
Put it on again and wait for it nearby. Have a rest and prepare your fingers for the final step:-)
6. Took a break? Great! The main steps are already described, so a few of the following steps I will leave without comments. Just look at the photo. Just a little note: cut more soutache than you need (for a brown bead (4mm) and the outer edge of 7 cm).
Do so in three corners. Pay attention to the wrong side.
The fourth corner is processed differently. Take 3 pieces of soutache 6 cm long and sew the beads starting from the corner. Sew on 3 beads. The fourth central bead must be sewn without soutache passing through the neighboring beads. Put the needle through the fifth bead. Take 3 more pieces of soutache 6 cm long. Leave spare ends and continue to sew the beads.
Fix the side ends of the soutache, smoothen the bead row from the inside. Go to the center and form the curls.
That's all! The soutache part of the work is finished, great job :-)
7. Now we need to make a charm and the fastening of the cord for the pendant.
Take monofilament thread 0.15. Fold a 1 m of the thread in half, put the ends into the needle. There is a loop at the other end.
Thread 4 turquoise beads 6 mm long, then 4 beads 11/0. Pass the needle again in the same direction, starting with the first bead.
Pull the thread. Pull it slowly so as not to miss a loop, which has remained on the long end of the thread. Put the needle through the loop and gently tighten the whole row.
Thread 3 brown beads 15/0, 1 bead 11/0, and 3 beads 15/0. Put the needle through a bead from the opposite side. It forms an arch. We make 2 arches around each bead. Go through the entire row, moving to the next bead through turquoise beads. Put the needle through th central bead of the upper arch.
Thread a 4 mm red bead and pass the needle through the center bead of the next upper arch. Thus, we need to pull to the center all 4 arches.
Put the needle out from the brown bead. Thread 2 beads 15/0, 1 bead 11/0, 2 beads 15/0. Put the needle through the next brown bead in the row. Make the arches around each of red beads.
Put the needle out of the center of the arch. Collect all 4 arches through golden beads. Go around the circle one more time and tighten.
Pass the needle through the beads by pattern, deduce the needle into the central bead of the lower arch. Collect all 4 arches through the golden beads. Go around the circle for a second time and tighten. Fix the thread: pass it through the beads by pattern tangling it. Cut off.
Take a simple brown sewing thread (you can use any other color suitable to the beads). I fold the thread in 4 to be sure. Fix the thread on the wrong side of the pendant, put it between the curls (see photo). Pick up the beads and make a pendant of the desired length. Return the needle to the soutache, fix the thread.
Using the same principle make the round fastening for the cord. In the first row thread alternatively seed beads and 5 red beads 4 mm. Collect the archs from both sides through 2 mm turquoise beads. Attache to the pendant, passing through the seed beads.
Sew a 4 mm red bead to the center and make the "jumpers" using seed beads 15/0. Add gold beads to the corners between the curls. Our pendant is almost ready!
8. Now the most important part of the work. Making the wrong side.
Draw out the pendant on paper. You don't have to draw out all the swirls, skip them, then draw the archs by hand. Draw the internal outline, retreating 1.5-2 mm from the main outline. Mark the face so as not to confuse it. The approximate result is in the photo.
Cut out. Try on the pattern. Cut some more if needed. The pattern must be maximum a single layer of soutache less of the pendant. If you cut a little extra, mark where you need to add contour, then consider it while drawing the counter on leather. If there is a lot of inaccuracies, it is better to make one more pattern.
Draw out the customized pattern on leather. Cut out. Try it on. Cut the excess if needed.
Cut one more pattern of cardboard 2 mm smaller than the main one. Densely (but without fanaticism!) put the glue on one side of the cardboard, apply it to leather. Roll a toothpick on the front side of leather to remove excess of glue and smoothen leather. Do not press too much not to stretch the skin.
The workpiece for the wrong side is ready. Apply glue to the cardboard, try not to put it on leather. Apply it to the pendant, combining the outlines and fix it. Then attach the edge of leather to the pendant in any usual and convenient way.
I use glue. I bend leather by 1.5-2 cm, apply a small amount of glue with a toothpick. Lightly press leather slightly bending its edge inside. To me personally, due to the nature of soutache jewellery and specifically in case of hard soutache, this option seems more convenient and accurate.
The main and essentially the only requirement is that the wrong side must be neat! As soutache jewelry can not be flat, it should be as smooth as possible. We have already described one of the ways of making such a wrong side.
Now put the cord or a chain of desired length through (I have a leather cord) and attach a fastening. Our pendant is ready! Take pictures and admire :-)
I hope this DIY was clear and the full scope of work will allow you to "pump" your knowledge and skills.
Thank you for your attention!
This is my first DIY (and hopefully not the last). So I would be grateful for your response in comments and for a "thumb up" on the orange button if it was useful to you :-)
PS: When posting this DIY on other resources link to the source and the author is a must!