CreativeBug Workshop: DIY Talisman Necklaces

This workshop demonstrates a wonderful marriage between two basic jewelry techniques, a crochet and beading stitch, which creates a modern yet bohemian approach to necklace making. 

Some might say that the desire to adorn ourselves with some small trinket or design is indeed primal. The personal talismans you make today are tomorrows heirlooms.

Jewelry designer Alix Bluh demonstrates a simple crochet stitch for beading that offers endless options for customization by using different thread and bead combinations. You’ll also learn how to create different style clasps, and incorporate leather for a less time-intensive project that achieves the same sophisticated look. The fundamentals that you’ll learn in this class can be endlessly adapted to achieve different looks depending on the color thread and gems you chose.

Talisman Necklace with Alix Bluh on Creativebug from Creativebug on Vimeo.

Reliquary pieces are a longtime fascination for Alix Bluh, where sacred objects are held in tiny boxes close at hand to honor the entity that it houses. Alix’s reliquaries, ranging from 18k gold branches, feathers, pearls and loose precious stones, safely nestled under crystal have become her signature design concept. Alix Blüh’s jewelry can be found in a number of high end retailers including the Sundance Catalog, Imagine (Santa Barbara, CA), FINI (Seattle, WA), New York Adorned (NYC) and COG & Pearl (Brooklyn, NY). In addition, her work is also shown in galleries all over the USA, and in 8 other countries. She runs an atelier gallery in San Francisco called Modern Relics.

Alix Bluh on Creativebug from Creativebug on Vimeo.

CreativeBug, a new series of how-to videos for DIY’ers, recently launched to inspire you. For $25 a month, subscribers have unlimited access to a continuously updated library of creative workshops in knitting, crochet, sewing, jewelry, entertaining, home decorating and kids crafts. Featuring some of the country’s biggest talents, instructors include Debbie Stoller, Stitch ‘n Bitch, Heather Ross, Weekend Sewing, Christine Schmidt, Print Workshop and Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin. Creativebug’s state of the art audio and video production quality, short video segments and entertaining presentation make the videos accessible to artists of all skill levels.

CreativeBug launched multi-month packages this week. Subscribers can now get a discount for signing up for multiple months in advance!

  • $24.99 monthly
  • $19.99 per month, billed every 3 months
  • $16.99 per month, billed every 6 months

So, what are you waiting for? Make a pattern. Make a print. Make a difference.

Rowena Ritchie

Rowena is EcoSalon’s West Coast Fashion Editor and currently resides in San Francisco, CA.