How to create a brooch with soutache technique

Handmade soutache jewelry is still in trend,  price varies from 10 dollars to several thousands of dollars.

Price may depend on the name of a master, on materials used in work. It is difficult to stay calm to handmade soutache jewelry, as they look very expensive and unusually.

YOU WILL NEED:

• soutache cord (you can buy it in any sewing shop) 
• cabochon (from natural stone or from polymer clay) 
• beads (stones, crystal, porcelain or glass) 
• seed bead (Czech or Japanese) 
• monofilament yarn needle for seed bead 
• scissors
• felt or shred of leather

DIRECTIONS:

1. Glue the stone to the piece of leather, or to a dense fabric such as felt. You can also use the dense material used for embroidery. It is called Lacy's Stiff Stuff or LSS. Once the stone is glued trim the material around leaving 1-2 mm.

2. Now you can start sewing with a cord around the stone. Just sew it to the edges of the fabric left after the cutting. Note, that seams should not be visible.

3. When the base is ready, start sewing the cord beads or rhinestones. The rows of beads can overlap each other.

Cut the cord ends when the handmade brooch is ready. Wound them on the back side of the handmade brooch, and fix with glue. It is also important to mask the back side of such kind of jewelry. When you lean the brooch everyone can see its back side - be tricky, cover the back side of the workpiece with a cardboard. If you mask the back side only with a felt, bumps may stay visible.

These general rules will be helpful in your work:

• choose the well-lit workplace, 
• use the same instruments as you use for embroidery. Needles, pads for needles, scissors, the strong thread will help you in your work,
•  use only quality glue.

Enjoy your handmade jewelry! I gifted my first soutache pendant to my lovely grandmother, as she price taught me a lot.

Pictures from: http://inspirationalbeading.blogspot.com/