This week, I wanted to write something light and about something light. Literally “light” as in weightless, as that is how the Recycled Paper Jewellery is. I made these pieces as jewellery demonstration for an artisans skill up gradation workshop. The participants were from Wellpaper in Auroville, near Pondicherry.
Wellpaper Auroville creates objects by recycling newspaper. They weave baskets, make coasters, and jewellery components by folding, rolling and weaving newspaper. They also make toys, collectibles and beads using Paper machie. Apart from finished pieces, this group of women also sell that beads that they make. You can buy them on their website catalog, in the jewellery and accessories section.
Recycled Paper Jewellery workshop
Since I had a really great time doing a jewellery workshop using existing beads and components at Claycult Cambodia, I decided to replicate the same model here. But as the date loomed closer, I realised that the practicalities here were different. I still wanted to use their beads and components but without too many additions. This I believed would help them see their own creations from a different perspective. Short skill up-gradation workshops can be very tricky. For it to be useful, the focus be be on introduction of new techniques that can be easily learnt.
For instance, the floating asymmetrical necklace that you see above is one of my signature styles. I used to teach it using knotting when I taught beading classes at home years ago. Since these women already knew how to knot and make knotted floating necklaces, I adapted the same concept to making loped beads floating on thin chains. It looks really precious, doesn’t it?
Loop, hook, clasps and rings
I demonstrated the Floating paper machie bead necklace but they couldnt really replicate it. Why? They did not know how to make loops. It was my bad that I assumed they did. So I went back to the basics. I taught them how to make loops and jump rings and then graduated to making basic earhooks and clasps.
People do not make their own hooks or clasps because they think they need special tools. You do not need special tools at all. I did not have any tools (yes not even pliers) when I began making jewellery in 2007. I taught them to make hooks and clasps using pens, scissors, and dish scrubber (to straighten wire). We did however, use regular nose pliers and wire cutters to hasten the process. The hammers these women use to flatten then basket weaves also helped work harden the wire. You can see them in use in the Forest earrings above.
Embellish it
The lot of people do not buy paper jewellery for it is not blingly enough. One way to add some bling while keeping the pieces classy is to use thin rhinestone chain or ball chain as embellishments. So apart from more labour intensive peices we also made some finger rings and earrings as well. These are easy to make and quite close to their comfort zone.
Knotted Empress necklace variation
With the embellished pieces drying, we set out to turn Wellpaper’s signature rectangle tiles into a fancy necklace. Some jumprings, cord, cord ends and a clasp later – viola – a beautiful necklace. There have been many request for classes and tutorials since I posted some of these pictures on social media. As much I would like to, it is impossible for me to do it at this point in time. You can look up my old post on Paper Machie jewellery here. You can check out several basic paper jewellery tutorials on Ilovepaperbeads.
Did you notice that there are two pieces of every nearly every design? Well, that was intentional. Usually, during such workshops only one piece per design is created which either remains with the organiser or designer or with the participants. The other party eventually forgets that new designs were created. So the two piece idea makes sure that the participant group takes one set with them, leaving the organiser with another set. What did I get? I made another piece of the paper machie bead necklace seen here that I wrote about it in the Recycled and repurposed jewellery post.
I did teach another earring style made using a toggle clasp as earring components. You can find it in the picture below.
While I only spent 4 hours teaching the class, it took 3 hours to source and prep and another 3 to plan. This is not including the actual paper bead/component making time. I had some students come in and help with the basic colouring and coating so that helped as well. This goes to say that while paper jewellery while cheap in terms of components is quite time consuming to design and make. I request you to please keep that it mind while buying Recycled Paper Jewellery. I look forward to reading all your comments and suggestions about the jewellery.
PS: None of the pieces are for sale. Please head to the Wellpaper website if you want to shop for paper crafts and beads. Thanks.
I hope you found it interesting
Cheers
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