Greetings neighbors! Today on Mass Appeal I will be showing you how to recycle old fabric to make on trend necklaces. Fabric, beads, lace, shoe laces, leather cords and chains work well.

As usual, I want to remind you I have hundreds of pounds of all this stuff. I’m happy to send you a DIY box free of charge. Just email, text or call me with your info and I’ll send it out to you (non Massachusetts residents pay $10 for shipping and handling). Contact info is at the bottom of the page.

Here’s what you will need to get started:

Fabric (old jeans, slips, scarves, etc)

A chain necklace or bead necklace, lace, string, etc.

A clasp (if you aren’t using the one from the necklace)

Hot glue gun and glue sticks

E6000 clear glue

Scissors

Step 1

Cut your fabric into 1 inch wide strips. 22 inches long will be plenty of length. If you want the aged tattered look you will not need to finish the edges. If you want a more tailored appearance simply iron both sides inward, fold them over and iron them. Then add a little bit of glue on the back and you’ll be good to go.

Step 2

OPTIONAL: Glue the chain with E6000 to the center of the fabric on each strip.

Glue the top ends together. Then braid your fabric mixture with your beads and lace. (If you want to use oversized beads, go to step 3. Otherwise you can skip to step 4 of wrapping the ends.)

Step 3

Pin the bottom with a safety pin. Then thread your pearls or beads up through the braid.

Step 4

You should allow the beads at the top to be a little longer than the fabric like this. Then wrap the end with a fabric strip and glue together.

Step 5

Attach a clasp.

This is a simple fun way to update your jewelry wardrobe by using the things you already have. The entire project won’t cost much even if you have to go buy some ribbon from the dollar store. I’m sure everyone has an old pair of jeans or an old dress that you can use. You can make this look very professional or just make a quick necklace for fun. I did these the quick way to show you what you and your kids could accomplish in less than an hour! 🙂 Anything is possible with your imagination! The bracelets are from a previous show and are featured on the blog. And if you’re interested in exploring alternative materials for your DIY projects, look at this web-site.

CONTACT ME if you want a free DIY box filled with materials to make this craft! Here’s the studio # 413-512-3714 or email me at: info@fancythatantiques.com

Ok friends! I will see you again on March 5th. I will be making bib statement necklaces with faux gemstones so save your denim and glue sticks! See you soon.

Happy crafting,

Malena

P.S. The jewelry I use for these projects come from house calls around our state. I donate the jewelry I make and the items that don’t sell online to charity. If you have jewelry you want to sell or donate, let me know. The charity is for teens in Juvenile Hall who need food, school supplies and lots of love! Thank you for your support!