Get stranded
Issue #23
It’s easy to make your own cartoon-couture necklace
By Clarisa Ramirez
Published: March 1st, 2005 | 5:01pm
Jewelry designers such as Caterina Zangrando are gaining popularity with their cute and quirky beaded baubles for the décolleté area. These creations are hot because they add fun and color to a plain outfit by incorporating faux pearls, glass beads, and unexpected charms like vinyl Disney figurines.
But you don’t have to pay designer prices for these chic accessories. You can make your own one-of-a-kind “junk necklace” in no time at all.
Since these necklaces are supposed to be eclectic, anything goes. Scout flea markets and garage sales for vinyl or PVC figures (they’re easier to drill through than plastic), cheap necklaces, and other jewelry you can take apart and reuse. Everything else can be purchased at a bead or craft store.
If you choose to add a figure (or multiple figures), you’ll need a drill with a 1/16” drill bit. Choose the spot on the figurine from which it should hang (for instance, right behind Mickey’s ears) and make a reference mark with a pen. Carefully drill a half-inch-deep hole through the mark, balancing the figurine on a flat surface with your other hand. Squeeze a dot of cement glue over the hole and insert a 1/2” eye pin (available at craft stores). Allow a full day for the glue to dry. Then, connect a 6mm jump ring to the eye pin using a small pair of pliers. This is where you’ll string the figurine onto the necklace. Make sure the jump ring is on tightly, or the string will slip through the gaps.
Decide how long you want your necklace to be and mark the guidelines on a piece of paper on your work table or floor. Divide the length in half and make another mark in the center for your figurine (unless you want to wear it off-center). Next, lay out the beads and the baubles in your desired pattern.
For a single-strand necklace, simply string the beads and baubles using dental floss or nylon thread, and tie each end to a clasp piece. Bar-and-toggle clasps are the easiest to use.
If you want your necklace to have two strands on each side, like the one pictured, attach an extra jump ring to the eye pin. You’ll also need twice as many beads. When laying out the pattern, keep in mind each side needs its own string. The strings make a U-turn at the center, so both ends of the same string meet. At the middle of stringing you’ll get to the figurine, where you’ll thread each string though its respective jump ring. Continue stringing the beads, tie the ends in a knot on each side of the clasp in a knot, and attach the clasp pieces to each side.
Voilà! Now you can wear your favorite things close to your heart. Plus, your friends will think you’re awesomely avant-garde.
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