Fun with Layering Pendants (Tutorial)
by Rena Klingenberg. © 2003-Present Rena Klingenberg. All Rights Reserved
Layering pendants is a fun and easy way to design jewelry.
You can layer pendants from your stash, or from your personal jewelry wardrobe.
This is a great activity to do on days when your creative muse has deserted you.
Simply set out a handful of pendants and some jump rings – and try different pairings together!
Supplies:
- Pendants of various sizes, and made with a variety of materials.
(Most of the pendants shown in this tutorial have been purchased over the years from a wide variety of Etsy.com sellers.) - Jump rings of various sizes that will work with your pendants.
- Flat nose and chain nose pliers – for opening and closing jump rings.
- Chains, cords, neckwires, etc. – for wearing the layered pendants you design.
Attaching the Layered Pendants Together
I love variety and changeability in my jewelry.
So I wouldn’t attach any of my layered pendants together permanently.
I simply join them temporarily, using a jump ring.
However, if you want to attach yours together more permanently, depending on the pendant types, you might use glue, wire, or other methods to keep the layers together.
Here are some of my favorite layered pendants . . . .
Leaf in a Circle:
Huge thin brass hoop, plus a medium-size brass leaf pendant:
Layered together:
And worn on an oxidized brass chain:
Goldfish in a Bowl:
Thick oxidized brass hoop, plus a lifelike acrylic goldfish pendant:
Layered together:
And worn on an oxidized brass ball chain to resemble bubbles:
Black and White:
Zebra-striped diamond shape pendant, plus a black gogo donut pendant:
Layered together:
And worn on a black leather cord:
Brass and Turquoise:
Large brass stamping pendant, plus a turquoise nugget pendant with a wire wrapped loop at the top:
Layered together:
And worn on a double black leather cord:
Examples of Multi-Colored vs.
Monochromatic Layering:
I have a collection of these big, colorful 1970’s vintage plastic go-go donut pendants.
They measure 55mm in diameter, with a 30mm donut hole:
Their size makes them a good choice for the background pendant, because you can still see plenty of their color after layering a smaller pendant on top of them.
Here they are in multi-colored layering, with smaller pendants in contrasting colors layered on top of them:
And here each is paired with a pendant in a similar color, making monochromatic layers:
Red:
Red vintage gogo pendant, plus a red and white polymer clay flower pendant:
Layered together:
And worn on a copper ball chain:
Blue:
Light blue vintage gogo pendant, plus a blue and white polymer clay starfish pendant:
Layered together:
And worn on a handmade oxidized sterling silver chain:
Fuchsia:
Fuchsia vintage gogo pendant, plus a fuchsia, black and orange pendant, plus a smaller, wildly patterned round pendant:
Layered together:
And worn on a black leather cord:
Green:
Lime vintage gogo pendant, plus a brass disc pendant colored with green alcohol ink:
Layered together:
And worn on an antiqued brass chain:
Orange:
Orange vintage gogo pendant, plus a smaller coral-orange gogo pendant:
Layered together:
And worn on a cord made from strands of art fiber:
What pendants do you have in your stash or in your personal jewelry collection that you can layer together?
I’d love to see what you create from this tutorial!
