Hello there lovelies,
If you've reading my blog for a while you just might vaguely remember me trying my hand at making some necklaces out of t-shirt scraps. Well, since then I've given a bit of thought to refining the process, and decided to make a tutorial out of it. Prepare to learn how to make a cool statement necklace out of old t-shirt scraps!
Apparently I forgot to take a photo of this, but start by cutting the bottom of your t-shirt off. You don't have to use the whole bottom half, just a small piece off the bottom will give you enough fabric. Next, cut down one of the side seams of the shirt so that you have one long, flat piece of t-shirt.
Cut your long flat piece of t-shirt into three long strips. This stripy fabric was helpful for this, as I didn't have to mark how big I wanted the strips to be for them to be equal sizes.
Next, you need to choose what ribbon or colourful thread to put into your necklace. I chose a yellow ribbon, and orange piece of thread for this one. Tie all your strips together with a knot, leaving enough length after the knot to tie your necklace around your neck at the end.
Secure your strips down with something. Because I am weirdly flexible, with strange monkey feet, I just hold my strips between my toes. Apparently attaching them to the back of a chair with a bulldog clip works just as well, if you're lacking in the monkey feet department. We're going to plait these strips together, just like plaiting hair (I held the ribbon with one strip of t-shirt, and the thread with another so that there were still three strips to be plaited).
Keep going with the plaiting! This part takes a while, so maybe watch a DVD or something while you're doing it. I watched The Boyfriend play his new copy of Mass Effect 3, which is pretty much the same as watching a movie. When you're finished plaiting, tie all the strips in another knot, remembering to leave enough length at the end for tieing!
Now you've got something looking like this. Pretty cool & colorful, but still a little boring.
Get out your random assortment of buttons! Try and choose some of different sizes & patterns.
Take a small length of thread, put it through the button holes and tie your buttons tightly to the necklace with a strong knot. Make sure you tie the knots really tight so that your buttons don't move around! I tied a couple of knots, just to be sure they would hold.
Keep tying on buttons until your necklace looks like this! I used ten buttons, but you could use as many or as few as you like. Hurray! Pretty easy, huh? Here's how to DIY another type that I've been making lately:
Again, cut three long strips of t-shirt material. Choose three different coloured pieces of thread, and tie all the strips together in a knot, leaving enough room to tie the necklace at the end. One t-shirt strip and one coloured thread together will make one strip for plaiting, but that comes a bit later.
Grab out your assortment of beads, and start tying them onto the strips/threads at different places. Put a knot right before where you want a bead, and another one after to hold the beads in place.
Keep going until you have a crapton of beads knotted onto your strips & threads.
Now, use your cah-razy monkey feet (or bulldog clip) to hold the strips tight as you plait them all together. When you reach the other end, tie all the strips in another knot, again remembering to leave enough length to tie the necklace.
What you'll have will look a little like some variety of bead factory exploded onto your necklace, which is pretty awesome in my books.
All that's left now is to rock the bajeesus out of your easy & thrifty new necklaces, possibly in front of your tripod for photos while your neighbours stare at you & wonder whether you've finally gone insane.
For the record, no, I haven't gone insane. I've been there for a long time, and I enjoy it immensely. How are you guys enjoying these DIY Friday posts? While I'm always brainstorming new DIY's to whip up for you, is there anything in particular you would like to see?
If you've reading my blog for a while you just might vaguely remember me trying my hand at making some necklaces out of t-shirt scraps. Well, since then I've given a bit of thought to refining the process, and decided to make a tutorial out of it. Prepare to learn how to make a cool statement necklace out of old t-shirt scraps!
Equipment required for this project: t-shirts that you don't mind cutting up (the longer you want your necklace to be the bigger t-shirt you're going to need), scissors, about 10 buttons of assorted shapes & sizes, coloured thread (the kind you made friendship bracelets out of in primary school), ribbon and an assortment of beads. Oh, and feet (or a bulldog clip).
Apparently I forgot to take a photo of this, but start by cutting the bottom of your t-shirt off. You don't have to use the whole bottom half, just a small piece off the bottom will give you enough fabric. Next, cut down one of the side seams of the shirt so that you have one long, flat piece of t-shirt.
Cut your long flat piece of t-shirt into three long strips. This stripy fabric was helpful for this, as I didn't have to mark how big I wanted the strips to be for them to be equal sizes.
Next, you need to choose what ribbon or colourful thread to put into your necklace. I chose a yellow ribbon, and orange piece of thread for this one. Tie all your strips together with a knot, leaving enough length after the knot to tie your necklace around your neck at the end.
Secure your strips down with something. Because I am weirdly flexible, with strange monkey feet, I just hold my strips between my toes. Apparently attaching them to the back of a chair with a bulldog clip works just as well, if you're lacking in the monkey feet department. We're going to plait these strips together, just like plaiting hair (I held the ribbon with one strip of t-shirt, and the thread with another so that there were still three strips to be plaited).
Keep going with the plaiting! This part takes a while, so maybe watch a DVD or something while you're doing it. I watched The Boyfriend play his new copy of Mass Effect 3, which is pretty much the same as watching a movie. When you're finished plaiting, tie all the strips in another knot, remembering to leave enough length at the end for tieing!
Now you've got something looking like this. Pretty cool & colorful, but still a little boring.
Get out your random assortment of buttons! Try and choose some of different sizes & patterns.
Take a small length of thread, put it through the button holes and tie your buttons tightly to the necklace with a strong knot. Make sure you tie the knots really tight so that your buttons don't move around! I tied a couple of knots, just to be sure they would hold.
Keep tying on buttons until your necklace looks like this! I used ten buttons, but you could use as many or as few as you like. Hurray! Pretty easy, huh? Here's how to DIY another type that I've been making lately:
Again, cut three long strips of t-shirt material. Choose three different coloured pieces of thread, and tie all the strips together in a knot, leaving enough room to tie the necklace at the end. One t-shirt strip and one coloured thread together will make one strip for plaiting, but that comes a bit later.
Grab out your assortment of beads, and start tying them onto the strips/threads at different places. Put a knot right before where you want a bead, and another one after to hold the beads in place.
Keep going until you have a crapton of beads knotted onto your strips & threads.
Now, use your cah-razy monkey feet (or bulldog clip) to hold the strips tight as you plait them all together. When you reach the other end, tie all the strips in another knot, again remembering to leave enough length to tie the necklace.
What you'll have will look a little like some variety of bead factory exploded onto your necklace, which is pretty awesome in my books.
All that's left now is to rock the bajeesus out of your easy & thrifty new necklaces, possibly in front of your tripod for photos while your neighbours stare at you & wonder whether you've finally gone insane.
For the record, no, I haven't gone insane. I've been there for a long time, and I enjoy it immensely. How are you guys enjoying these DIY Friday posts? While I'm always brainstorming new DIY's to whip up for you, is there anything in particular you would like to see?Until next time, xo.
P.S. Here's a photo of my goofy smile.
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