DIY - Handmade Necklace

Images by Michelle Lowe

Inspiring innovative, fashionable projects individuals can do with materials they find at home

No doubt you’ve heard about upcycling. It seems like a lot of thought has to go into upcycling after all you have to take something old and transform it into something new. And not only does it need to be something new, but something you can use!

Now before you start feeling overwhelmed, think about the times you've taken out your sewing kit and created a new outfit out of old material. Have you ever taken a pair of jeans and cut off the legs to make them into shorts? Have you ever taken an old white t-shirt and dyed it a different color? Or have you transformed a sweater into a skirt with stitches here and there. If yes, then you’ve upcycled!

Once you begin to move past the sheer possibilities, you can start to create your own one of a kind piece.  


Here’s an idea for an upcycled bib necklace such as the one seen in the photo shoot.

• Materials Needed:
• Old shirt
• Old dress lining
• Assortment of beads from broken necklaces
• Faux rhinestones from broken jewelry
• Childhood project sequins
• Floss thread from bygone days of 4H embroidery class 
• Regular thread

Step 1 – Trace the general shape you want for your bib necklace on the old dress lining.

Step 2 – Cut out the shape from the lining.

Step 3 – Cut out shape in the old shirt fabric.

Step 4 – Sew the two cut outs together. However, before closing the shape of the cut outs, turn the fabrics inside out to conceal the stitching. From there, finish sewing the two together, keeping the edges tucked in together.

Step 5 – Iron the piece.

Step 6 – Using the floss thread, the broken jewelry pieces, and the sequins begin to sew the details onto the fabric arranging them as you like. (For a faster, but less resilient piece you could hot glue gun the sequins onto the fabric instead.)


Your necklace does not have to be so elaborate - this is just an example of how easy it is to upcycle. So next time you are thinking about throwing something away, I challenge you to think of a way to upcycle it into something new! Share your story in the comment below: