DIY Braided Rhinestone Necklace

You’ll need:

• a rhinestone necklace (I found mine here)
• 4 skeins of embroidery floss
• darning needle
• wire clippers
• scissors
• lobster clasp
• jump ring
• chain & crimp ends (optional)

Start by cutting approximately 16-19 strands of embroidery floss at about 2.5 times the length of the rhinestone necklace. Gather all 15-18 strands and tie a knot, leaving 3 inches of slack. Reserve the extra strand for later.

Separate into 3 equal parts and braid. Tie a knot at the end, leaving another 3 inches of slack.

Most vintage rhinestone necklaces are really short in length so to extend it, the clasp will need to be removed with a pair of wire clippers. If the rhinestone necklace is long enough, then you can skip this step. Thread the darning needle with the extra strand of floss.

Tie the end of the floss into a double knot around the end of the necklace. Thread the darning needle into the middle of the braid. I like to use darning needles since the tips are not very sharp and won’t snag.

Bring the floss around the necklace and back under the braid. For this particular necklace, I stitched on one rhinestone link per braid.



Continue stitching. Finish with a double knot and trim the ends.

Take about 10 inches of embroidery floss (of either the same color or contrasting color) and tie a double knot around the top of the braided knot. Wind the floss around the bunch of strands, wrapping the contrasting floss as well. Thread on a lobster clasp and continue winding. You can add on a crimp end and extra rhinestone chain for added length.




Tie the ends of the contrasting floss into a double knot and trim the ends. Repeat the same step on the other end with a jump ring. Trim the ends of the braided bunch of strands.

And the necklace is complete!

I promise you won’t be able to stop at just one .. :D

DIY Beaded Button Down Shirt

 You’ll need:

•   a button down shirt
•   a mix of metal, plastic or glass beads
•   a needle fine enough to fit through the beads
•   thread

Keep the shirt buttoned. Thread the needle with about a yard of thread and tie the ends into a double knot. Push the needle through the backside of the middle of the placket.

Slide a bead onto the needle and bring the needle back through the fabric on the other side of the bead. Continue sewing beads onto the fabric using this running stitch.

After adding 5-6 beads, secure the stitch by tying off the thread with a double knot. This helps reinforce the stitch, especially with the weight of the beads. If the thread is long enough, continue to stitch on another group of beads. If the thread runs out, go ahead and cut the thread and start again with the first step.   

Continue adding beads in small groups along the placket. Stop 3/4 of the way down. Finished!! :D

DIY Leather Fringe Clutch

Doing something as easy as adding fringe to a simple leather clutch will make you wonder how one could live with a such a boring frill-less pouch to begin with. I dare you to do this tutorial and resist the urge to give another accessory the fringe treatment. Because honestly, everything is better with fringe.   


                         

You’ll need:

• unlined leather clutch or pouch
• leather rotary punch
• 100 feet 3/16″ deerskin leather lace
• white paint pen
• ruler
• scissors

Start by finding an unlined leather pouch. If the pouch or clutch is lined with fabric, it will be very hard to punch holes using your rotary punch. Turn the pouch inside out. Using a fine, white paint pen, draw a straight line a few millimeters above the bottom seam. Do the same with left and right seam. It’s okay if the lines don’t intersect at the corners.

Make dotted marks every half inch along the drawn lines. Use the second largest hole size, 13/64″, and punch holes through the marks.

Punch one hole in two bottom corners.

Cut 17-18″ inch strands of leather lace. Take one strand and thread it through the front face of one set of holes. The glossy side of the leather lacing should be facing out.

Bring the other side of the strand over the edge of the pouch and through the hole on the back face. Pull both ends from the inside of the pouch. Repeat with all the holes.

Turn the pouch right side out and adjust the strands so the ends match.

While keeping the strands sandwiched together, tie a knot and tighten close to the edge of the pouch. Repeat on all the strands.

And . . . you’re done.

DIY Woven Chain Collar Necklace

You’ll need:

• 1 foot of large rhinestone chain
• 3 feet of curb chain cut into 3 pieces (I used two 12″ pieces and one 10″ piece)
• 3 skeins of embroidery floss
• scissors.

Start by laying two pieces of curb chain side by side. Tie on 4 feet of embroidery floss into a double knot to the end of the left chain, leaving at least a foot of extra slack. Thread the floss through the top of the first link of the right chain.

Thread the floss under the first link on the left side and through the top of the 2nd link on the right side.

Continue this weaving pattern. I find it easy to hold the chains up together while threading the floss back and forth.Continue this weaving pattern. I find it easy to hold the chains up together while threading the floss back and forth. Using a different color flow, weave the floss around the first few links – again leaving about a foot of extra slack. Weave the chain into the necklace using the same technique.

Using a different color flow, weave the floss around the first few links – again leaving about a foot of extra slack. Weave the chain into the necklace using the same technique.                                                        

Continue weaving and tie a knot at the end. Now align the rhinestone chain along the necklace.

 Tie a knot onto the chain. Start wrapping the rhinestones onto the chain but going under the first joint of the rhinestone chain and over the top of the first curb chain link.

 

Keep the necklace curved while attaching the rhinestone chain. This will prevent the necklace from buckling. 

Depending on the size of the rhinestone chain compared to the chain, a few links may have to be skipped in order to maintain the shape of the necklace. 

Tie a knot at the end.

Cut several 2 feet strands of floss and thread them through the ends of the necklace. 

Tie a single knot. 

Repeat on the other side. Your necklace is now adjustable and finished! 

Hope, you like this. :)