Another unique design using sky blue briolette drops to create a 14" focal section. The remaining beads are medium denim blue seed beads. The necklace drapes nicely on the neckline! It measures just at 21”. The closure is a silver toned acrylic magnet which holds amazingly well with normal activities.
This 2023 design was made specially for Pop-up Makeke (Market) for the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival in Hilo, Hawaii. This would be a perfect gift for a friend or loved one since this lei will last forever! These necklaces feel wonderful to wear and require little to almost no care by using a clean dry towel every few months to keep dust free and bright. As a beautiful glass beaded necklace lei each necklace is handmade on Maui and involves meticulous attention to detail while braiding.
This beautiful hand made necklace lei was made using hundreds of glass Japanese seed beads on multiple cords that are woven together on a wooden marudai stand (in a kongo gumi braid pattern). Akalei is Hawaiian for "bead reflections" which describes this unique necklace lei design style available only here on Maui.
The necklace is woven together using an ancient Japanese braiding technique called Kumihimo, a Japanese word for “gathered threads". This art form goes back hundreds of years as braids were made for use in armor for Japanese samurai warriors. In modern times these braids are designed as belts (obijime) that are worn as a belt with a kimono.