Upcycle Fabric Scraps into Stylish Statement Necklaces
Last week we showed you how to turn any yard of fabric into a chic beach wrap. But what about those scraps of fabric that aren't quite big enough to cover your bod? Pieces of t-shirts you've shortened, scraps from Halloween costume projects, even shoelaces are fair game for this DIY.
We had a handful of leftover fabric scraps from our beach wraps, so we teamed up with Brit Resident Stylist Misty Spinney to come up with a trio of fashion-forward necklaces.
Materials:
– needle nose pliers
– wire cutters
– chain
– clasps + metal loops
– small key rings
– fabric scraps
Gather all of your materials. To get all of your jewelry making essentials, head to Michael's or your local bead or craft store.
For our first necklace, we used orange spandex! Cut three strips that are about 8 inches long, and three more strips that are about 10 inches long. Stretch each strip so that it curls, and cut down to 8 and 10 inches, respectively.
Now, take 12 cord ends and attach them to each strip end.
Attach each cord end to a loop, and then attach that loop to a small key ring. Now you've got your two necklace levels. Take the 8 inch section and attach both ends to a chain.
Attach the 10 inch section to the 8 inch section with two small sections of chain.
So fun, and a perfect neon pop for summer.
Next, our peacock print spandex material. Do the same thing as you did with the orange to create rounded strips. We're going to do a 5 strand braid for this, so cut 5 strips. Attach cord ends to each strip.
Then attach each end to a large key ring, or a necklace bar like we did. Tape the table and braid! Here is an easy-to-follow tutorial on how to do a 5 strand braid.
When you get to the end, tape it down. Now, use pliers to attach the ends to a key ring or necklace bar.
Remove tape, add a clasp, and voila!
For our last necklace, we combined the orange with the peacock to bring an earthy tone to our love of neon.
We used a regular braiding technique for this. Cut 6 strips of fabric in whatever mix you like. Use a flat cord end (pictured) to group strips into two sets of three. Braid! Secure the braided end with a cord end.
For the pendant, we used large key rings and simply wrapped them in fabric. Use a spot of glue to keep them in place on both ends.
Not the braided fabric around the key rings, and you're almost done. The last step is to add your chain and clasp. Use the same methods as above, and measure around yourself.
And there you have it!
Three chic pieces of neckwear made from scraps!
