Embroidered round earrings in black with bead decoration. Handmade by Janice Gilmore in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Created using a combination of hand and machine stitching, with metallic beading details. Interwoven layers of stitch have been built up with a sewing machine, forming the designs which are worked onto either vanishing muslin or dissolvable fabric.  Fine beads are then hand stitched to the jewellery creating a rich and decorative finish.

Approximate size: earring drop diameter 15mm, total earring length 37mm.

About the maker:

Janice is inspired by a variety of influences including Islamic Architecture, Persian Kilims, Heraldry, the Book of Kells and Elizabethan costume.  The arts and crafts of various cultures have also inspired her while travelling in countries such as India, Morocco and Turkey.  She is as much inspired by the materials which she uses as by the subject matter which provides the impetus for her designs.  The creative tension between pre-planned designs and what happens in the making determines the end result and the design can often change considerably from that which she first imagined.