Second time around
Today’s challenge is to restring a strand of pearls. This to me is such a neat project; especially since it is a strand of vintage pearls that a grandmother is giving to her granddaughter as a wedding gift.
The pearls look to be from the 1950′s or so and have a beautiful glow. I’m not sure if the luster is truly from the pearls or the love that is surrounding these gems.
Just recently I had a similar experience with a strand of pearls of my own. This strand is a strand that was given to me when I was in high school. I hate to admit the year of this “gift” but let’s just say that Izod alligators were infesting the student population on polo shirts and sweaters. Viva la 80′s – oops, secret’s out now…
My pearls lived a hard and carefree life in high school. That was way before I realized that I should treat the strand with respect and care so that they would last long enough to be passed down. Remarkably, they did make it through the rowdy years and have been living in my jewelry box waiting to make their return engagement. It was only after pulling them from solitary confinement that I remembered that my grandmother had taken on the task of re-knotting them for me after one mishap. Her choice of stringing material was none other than waxed dental floss. I remember her showing me how to carefully slip the knot up to the pearl and struggle as she did when it didn’t exactly land where she had hoped.
I have been a practicing “knot-er” for a few years and have worked hard to perfect my craft. Not a time or knot goes by that I don’t think about my grandmother and her dedication to that project. So it is with love and nostalgia that I tackle this necklace for a customer. I hope her memories of this gift are as heartfelt as mine.
