This is they type of thing I will explain how to make.

It is a wonderful use of small scraps, and makes a great gift. They look complicated and very different, but are simpler then you think.

Machines…
You will need a scroll saw, or suitable small blade on a band saw. Something that will allow you to make smallish curves. A larger blade will work in a similar fashion, but you wont get as wavy a pattern in the end.
You will also need a way to sand the pieces flat. I use a spindle sander. If you are careful a belt sander will work, and if you have time a random-orbital sander or a piece of sand paper will also do the trick

Materials…
Start with a few pieces of wood that are close to the same size. I like to shoot for something about 2”x3” (50mm x 75mm for those other folks :) ) That size will allow you to do the most with your finished necklace, most shapes you might want will work. For this demo my pieces are scrap from some Christmas ornaments I made Maple, Cherry and Mahogany. I am using 1/8” thick material, but 1/4 will also work well. Thicker stuff can get heavy. You can use more then 3 pieces if you like.

How To…
Stack the pieces together, and tape the stack to hold it all together. If you like to plan ahead draw some squiggles on the tape, but you can improvise if you like.

The tighter your curves the more attention you will have to pay to your blade. If you turn too tightly your blade may want to start stretching and not be square to your table. This is even more evident if you have a thicker stack of pieces, the top and bottom may not fit together nicely.

Cut the curves, and separate the pieces. Lay them out so you can see what you have.

Then mix up your pieces so they look cool.

Next is the glue up. I use super glue, but regular wood glue will work also.
My favorite clamp for this is a pair of old square corner clamps I got at a thrift sale last summer. I line the bottom with tape or wax paper so the piece doesn’t stick. It helps keep the pieces flat, which means less sanding later :)

Tape also works really well, but it will take longer to dry. Glue doesn’t cure when it is all sealed in.

Sanding! once the pieces are glued together you need to sand them flat. If you are going to stop here, you will want to sand them completely smooth. If you are going to keep going, you just need them flat, they can still be rough.
I use a spindle sander most of the time. It works pretty well and keeps my knuckles out of the sand paper.

Here are some examples of pieces that stopped at this point.

This is another example using just two woods

You can also notice the difference the final shape can have on the look of the necklace

Stay tuned and we will make it look even cooler….

After Christmas I created an Etsy account and listed a few jewelry pieces. Not much happened but I got a few “hearts” and views, so I was happy with it. Then one day I get a message from someone saying they were an editor of a local paper and wanted to feature me in an artist feature. I was a little surprised and thought it sounded a little like a scam, but since they weren’t asking for much out of me (and it passed a quick google check of the paper and its editors names) I decided to contact the lady. She responded with some questions for me to answers and asked for a couple of pictures, and I sent her the info.
About a week later my mother-in-law calls me (very excited) saying I was in the paper, I had forgotten to tell her that I would be in the paper so it was a total surprise to her. And I wasn’t sure when it would be in, so it was a surprise to me as well. In case you are interested the article can be found here.
All of that was pretty cool, but then I got an email from another lady. She told me she was a widow and her late husband was an avid woodworker and she had an office full of old books, a shed full of cedar and a few machines, would I be interested in anything? Again I did a quick google search on names and they appeared valid so I gave the lady a call. A few phone calls later I went over to her house (Husband in tow, just in case).
The lady had lots of books, lots of out door furniture patterns and home building and old architecture topics. All very interesting, and I promised to come back and pick up some cedar when I get around to building a bird feeder or outdoor furniture. But my favorite thing was a Hegner Scroll Saw. The saw is as old as I am (build in 1984) but runs beautifully. It isn’t going to replace my beloved Hitachi saw, but I have officially started a collection of scroll saws.