This week I have to finish the embellishing of the Jewelry Tree. If you are just now finding this project, see the Christmas in July Sew Along posts – Week 1 starts the base, Week 2 finishes and quilts the base with the pocket, and Week 3 shows you several ideas on how to embellish and use the pocket. I wanted mine to use some broken but beautiful jewelry that I just could not stand to throw away. I began with a huge pin that has missing rhinestones, pinning it vertically in the center and arranging some broken bracelet links around it. Below it is a broken pearl bracelet.

The top section is an exquisite piece of a vintage Hollycraft necklace. It is broken beyond repair and it is costume anyway, but I love it.

I decided to turn the pin horizontally and integrate it into a golden garland. I lay some other bits of broken earrings and pearls from a broken necklace around as ornaments.

Switching those bits to a chain, I like this look better. I put a rhinestone bow on the top, but not all the way to the point. The point is nice and I want the judges to see it, not to think that I tried to hide it.

Individual links from a broken bracelet are stitched in a row to create the swag with the big pin.

I stitched the broken pearl bracelet next. The faceted jeweled bit below is from a pair of broken earrings, and both are placed on the piece. The heart is a charm and I have four.

With those added, I auditioned bits of a broken necklace with green and clear beads and small pearls to hang on each side.

One reason this is taking so long is that I am trying to make the stitching as invisible as I can. I don’t want anything showing on the back, so no knots on the back. Here’s how I am doing this. I begin with tying a big knot in the end of my double strand of thread. Then I put the needle into the project, sliding under the fabric and through the middle of the batting. The needle comes up where I want to place a bead or other element, and I put a tiny knot there.

Then I cut off the big knot.

Now I sew the bead on with three passes through the bead. Then, I tie a tiny knot at the bottom of the bead and take a final stitch bringing the needle out a few inches away.

I cut the thread off there.

This isn’t hard, just a bit tedious. However, the more stuff that is sewn on, the more the thread has a tendency to get caught on other elements, slowing things down even more.

At this point, I put a label on the back so I can enter it at whatever stage I decide to stop. Then I flipped it back right side up and began looking at more beads and pearls to add.

Red beads and more broken earrings make for nice ‘ornaments’. You may have noticed that I’m using different colors of thread. I am trying to match the thread to the element, using a golden brown for the more gold elements, red for the red beads, black for elements where the stitching might show.

I stitched the bottom end of the green bead chains down so they would stay put.

At the end of the day on Sunday, here is where the project stood.

This week, I’ll add a few more faceted clear beads, a few green ones and some pearls. Then it will be ready to submit to the fair.

What do you think of this project? Did you sew along? Please share your progress in our Facebook group.