Diy Knotty Necklace

Every year, my entire family tries to match on Easter Sunday. Only two of us live in the same city–we are spread out all over the country–but I think we all feel a little closer knowing that we’re wearing coordinating outfits. Those of us who are really into it usually start discussing Easter colors around Christmas or New Years, and everybody else just kind of goes along with it. It might sound dorky, but I look forward to matching on Easter every single year.

Last year, my little sister chose a color scheme of white, tan, and light blue. It immediately conjured up images of bow-ties, seersucker, and warm weather. I made my girls some cute flower accessories out of blue and white seersucker, and decided to make myself a knotted necklace out of the same fabric. It was a quick, easy craft, and the necklace is one of my favorites.

• 1 1/2 to 2 yards of fabric (cheap fabric is more than OK here because you aren’t using much, but you have to buy a lot of it)
• wooden beads (mine are 3/4″)
• 2 pieces ribbon, about 15″ each (I used 3/8″ grosgrain)

Lay your fabric out on a large work surface and smooth it out.  Cut a long strip, about 4 inches wide, down the entire length of the fabric.

Match up the edges, and sew all the way down the open side of the fabric using a 1/4″ seam.

Now comes the boring part, so you might want to put on a movie or something! Turn the tube right-side-out.  A knitting needle or not-too-sharp pointy object will help. When the entire tube is turned, find the middle and tie a knot. Slide a bead into the tube, snuggle it up against the knot (snug, but not as tight as possible), and tie another knot on the other side of the bead.

Continue adding beads and tying knots on both sides of the necklace until it is almost as long as you want it and goes from collar bone to collar bone.  If you want the necklace to extend further up your neck, feel free to keep adding beads at this point.

Before adding the last bead on each side, push the ribbon through the bead.

Tie a very secure knot so the ribbon can’t pull out.  The knot won’t show at all, so go ahead and make it big and sturdy.  Trim the knotted end of the ribbon.

Push the bead into the fabric tube so that the knotted end of the ribbon is toward the center of the necklace and the long end of the ribbon is sticking out. Using the fabric and ribbon together, tie the last knot.

Carefully trim the excess fabric on each end without cutting the ribbon. I used my zig zag scissors (I know that’s not what they’re called, but I’ll be danged if I can think of the proper name right now!)

When both sides are finished, use the ribbon to tie the necklace on. I tied a small knot at the loose end of each ribbon to make it look more finished.  You could also hem the loose ends, serge them, etc.

I used these instructions to make a flower out of the same fabric, and pinned it onto the necklace.

Voila! All done!