EtsyMetal's Project Runway Season 9

My metalsmithing group, EtsyMetal, follows each season of Project Runway and translates the episodes into jewelry challenges.

This week's challenge was "Pet Project". We were tasked with going to a pet store and picking out items to make a piece of jewelry, using as little metal as possible.

I selected a Cat Dancer and a platic cord with ball, bell and feathers. The end of the cat dancer was the inspiration; I wanted to make a necklace with a toggle clasp.

I cut off the "dancer" part of the Cat Dancer (don't tell my cats!) and trimmed and curled it to form the structure of the necklace.

I took apart the toy and threaded the plastic tubing over the wire, then formed the loop of the toggle. The wire was difficult to work with as it is spring hard and very brittle. I used binding wire to attach the plastic cord and divide it into sections.

I added the bell to the loop of the toggle as, as with my regular jewelry, I like to have a decroative clasp.