So, there's definitely a story behind these necklaces.  If you're not familiar, "kandi" is a term we use in the rave community for what are basically friendship bracelets made out of cheap material and meant to be given away in social settings.  Generally, we use plastic pony beads and there's an ethos that it's wrong to sell kandi, it should only be traded or given as a free expression of kindness and generosity.  When you give someone a kandi there's a special handshake and it's called a PLUR which stands for peace, love, unity and respect.

 

Well, when I started going to raves someone gave me my first kandi which was just a simple single strand bracelet, but receiving it truly felt special and it became a treasured memento.  That moment started me on a path of learning to make kandi, from simple bracelets to standard bead weaving techniques.  Before long I realized there wasn't any difference between making kandi and "real" jewelry and I started learning to make beaded jewelry, as well. 

 

So, interestingly, I learned a common beaded jewelry stitch called twisted tubular herringbone (some of those necklaces are posted here.)  It's one of my favorites because I find it very simple and effective with appealing results.  Then I thought, wouldn't it be funny to bring this back into the kandi realm with the large size beads.  I know I'm not the only one ever to do this because I've see it on kandi community message boards, but they are very uncommon and people who know kandi respond with a lot of amazement when they see them.  Giving one away to the right person who appreciates it is the best feeling ever, you are genuinely making someone's night incredibly special.  I included all the pictures I have here of these necklaces, but honestly sometimes I just make them and give them away without even thinking to document it. 

 

Long story, but regarding this particular piece it's kind of my magnum opus of elevated kandi and I'll probably be keeping this one to wear myself.  There are some techniques in beaded jewelry making that involve graduating different size beads so I decided to experiment with that idea.  If you read all this, thank you, and remember to radiate positivity!