THE SECRET TO THIS BROOCH is for you to become comfortable with a serious amount of glue. It dries clear and fills in any gaps in this mod stack of stones, so don’t be shy with the glue here. Inspired by a chipped ’80s shoe clip we found, this modern take on the brooch looks just right on the lapel of a camel coat or topping an extra-nubby sweater.
1 oval filigree component, 20 mm wide × 25 mm long
1 jet triangle stone, 25 mm wide × 25 mm long
1 princess-cut black diamond stone, 23 mm dia.
1 square crystal stone, 10 mm wide × 10 mm long
1 long silver pin back finding, 25 mm long
Small piece of plastic
Beacon’s Glass, Metal & More Glue
Stack the stones
1 Cover the work surface with a piece of plastic (a bead store baggie works well), and place the filigree piece on it.
2 Add a dot of glue to the underside of the jet triangular stone, and place it on the right side of the filigree piece, pointing out.
3 As you are laying out the piece, adjust the stones as needed so that they completely cover the filigree piece underneath.
4 Add a dot of glue to the underside of the princess-cut stone, and place it on the left side of the filigree piece, so the two stones are touching.
5 Add a dot of glue to the underside of the small square crystal stone, and place it so that it’s resting on top of the larger stones. The pointed underside of the stone will fit between the two larger stones.
6 Wipe away any excess glue immediately. Let the glue dry overnight.
Add the pin back
7 When the glue is completely dry, peel the piece from the plastic on the work surface and flip it upside down.
8 Add a line of glue to the pin back and center it lengthwise on the oval filigree piece. Let the glue dry overnight before wearing.
