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Friday, August 10, 2018

How to Make Fall Flame Rope Longer in Beautiful Proportion


If you own my Fall Flame Rope tutorial, I have a little gift for you.  A client asked for help with how to make her rope 22" long and some hours later...


The easiest approach to adding length to the Fall Flame Necklace would be to use extender chain. The rope core in the kit comes with a short chain, but you can add a longer chain, or add chain to each side of the rope, before re-applying the lobster claw clasp.  I find that I can add about 5-6" total length to a necklace with extender chain, without it being visible from the front.  And that is where the "Beader's Handshake" (when beautiful jewelry is eyed and complimented) takes place, right??  You could easily get 24” total length, counting the clasp, without changing the way the rope is made.

Second easiest would be to use the chart given for balance marking the necklace as it was written, and simply add more of the first color between the clasp and the first balance mark. Much of that color is behind the neck, and probably as the neck size increases, more of it would be hidden behind you anyway. But for this option, you have to create your own cord around which the beading would be done.  See below for how you might do that.  You really do want a cord beneath the beads.  Without it, the color shift is not so lovely.  Trust me on this.

But if you want to proportionately add to each section, 
here is the best way to do that.  

Note: A chart showing the balance marks to use on the rope core for each size, (instead of the instructions given on Page 28 in your tutorial) follows my text.

Make sure the core you use is 3.5 - 4mm in diameter to keep the gauge consistent. It could be leather, paracord, or any supple core. You’ll need to devise your own clasp.

Below are the increases for a 19, 20, 21 and 22 inch rope.

19” Rope
On the first side of the rope - Repeat Rows 15 and 16 in the First, Second, Third, and
Fourth Gradations.
On the second side of the rope - Repeat Rows 19 and 20 in the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and
Eighth Gradations.
This adds 1/8” to each of the four gradations on each side. and 1” total length.

20” Rope
On the first side of the rope - Repeat Rows 15 and 16 and Rows 31 and 32 in the First,
Second, Third, and Fourth Gradations.
On the second side of the rope - Repeat Rows 1 and 2 and 19 and 20 in the Fifth, Sixth,
Seventh and Eighth Gradations.
This adds 1/4” to each of the four gradations on each side, and 2” total length.

21” Rope
On the first side of the rope - Repeat Rows 7 and 8, Rows 15 and 16, and Rows 23 and 24,
in the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Gradations.
On the second side of the rope - Repeat Rows 11 and 12, Rows 19 and 20 , and Rows 27
and 28, in the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Gradations.
This adds 3/8” to each of the four gradations on each side, and 3” total length.

22” Rope
On the first side of the rope - Repeat Rows 7 and 8, Rows 15 and 16, Rows 23 and 24, and
Rows 31 and 32, in the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Gradations.
On the second side of the rope - Repeat Rows 1 and 2, Rows 11 an 12, Rows 19 and 20 ,
and Rows 27 and 28, in the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Gradations.
This adds 1/2” to each of the four gradations on each side, and 4” total length.

And here are the balance mark charts.  




Although it may SEEM that this will not expand the center section and the first and last sections, it does.  The gradations on either side of those sections are expanding, and therefore, the center and ends expand as well. 

Further expansion can be done with an extender chain if desired.  Keep in mind that although the rope length is given, the finished necklace will include the length of a clasp.

This information has also been added to the available downloads for both the complete tutorial and the rope only tutorial.  You should be able to download if from your purchase receipt, but if you want this, and can't get it via download, I can help.  Contact me through Etsy Convo, preferably from your purchase receipt and give me you e-mail address and I will send it along.

The math was excruciating, although very logical once complete, lol.  


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