Horsehair Necklace, 'Clover' Design

When I first started out making bracelets I had in mind to try doing a necklace. The thinking was, it would be lovely to have a bracelet and a matching necklace to wear.

The first few necklaces were quite successful but short. Even using the longest lengths of hair the finished necklace lacked the length I and many people like to wear. I knew that one day I would work through how to join braids together and create designs that work.

Here is the first of the designs. There are three braids, joined with sterling silver ends. The middle braid has two pretty spacer beads to add interest.

The hair used is from our lovely Fell Pony Drifter who succumbed to laminitis this year and new horse, four year old Charlie. Charlie's hair has kinks in it which give the braid an individual look. The natural kinks made the hair more difficult to control when braiding but with an even tension, the braid pattern is maintained with just an odd bend here and there caused by the kinks in the hair.

Each braid is slightly shorter than an average bracelet braid which means the shorter lengths of hair can be used on a project like this.

All of the braids were made using a 16 warp kumihimo design with approximately 6 hairs per warp.