Ribbon Necklace Tutorial - as seen in her magazine

This necklace is made with vintage glass beads, red velvet ribbon, and sheer silver organza ribbon folded in half.


Here's a snap shot of several different versions I'm made with various beads and ribbons.


And last but not least was my redo of a piece of my grandmother's costume jewelry.

We've all seen this necklace everywhere. But why buy a generic one off the shelf when you can make your own and have it be one of a kind. When I see things in mass quantities at the store, the more I see of it the less I want it. I like things that are individual. When you make something with your own hands, even if it's a take on something else, YOU made it. And there's only ONE like it.

After seeing this design featured on runways, and before the knock-offs were everywhere, I wanted to make one of these necklaces for myself. It looked easy enough but when I tried to figure it out I had a surprising amount of trouble getting in started. After searching for other tutorials and making adjustments I figured out a way to make it easy. So here's the basic instructions. The fun part is playing with the ribbons and beads to make something TRULY unique. Enjoy!

Make sure you read though the tips first. You might find some helpful hints!


Materials
Beads of desired size & amount
Approx. 2 yards of any ribbon (grosgrain, satin, sheer, etc.)
Beading thread
Needle
Scissors
Lighter

Directions
1. Using the beading thread, thread a needle that is small enough to fit through your beads then tie several knots at the end.

2. From one end of the ribbon, measure in 18 inches (more or less depending on desired length of necklace) and put your needle through the ribbon, pulling through until you've reached the knotted end.

3. Using your ribbon, tie a knot over the beading thread.

4. String a bead on the thread. If desired, fold your ribbon in half lengthwise and go through the ribbon so it wraps half way around the bead. Add another bead, and repeat.

5. Continue until you've strung all your beads.

6. When the last bead is strung, pull the beading thread through the ribbon and finish up by tying several knots. Make sure you’ve pulled the beading thread taught through the beads and ribbon. You can go back and forth, putting several stitches through the ribbon to secure the thread in place. Once the beading thread is securely attached to the ribbon, using the needle go back through several beads and cut the ends. To finish the necklace, using the ribbon knot over where the beading thread was secured.

7. Measure in 18 inches from the knot (or whatever your first measurement was) and cut the ribbon.

8. At this point go ahead and try on your necklace. You can shorten the ribbon if you prefer. I err on the side of keeping the ribbon longer so I have plenty of room to wear the necklace long if I prefer. And you can always trim the ribbon shorter later on.

9. To ensure both ends are even, pull them side-by-side and trim the ends by cutting at a 45-degree angle.

10. To prevent edges from unraveling, using a lighter quickly run the flame across just the edge of the ribbon until it begins to melt, sealing the ends.


Tips
* You can find beads at any craft store, but also consider using an old piece of jewelry or costume jewelry. You can find some great beads at thrift stores, in the back of your jewelry box, or in your grandmother's jewelry box.

* The trickiest part to making this necklace is keeping steady tension on the beads so they remain taught. Try using one hand to hold the ribbon in place as it wraps around the bead, and your other hand to thread the needle through.

* Try and use ribbon that is proportional to your bead. If your ribbon is too wide for your bead, fold the ribbon in half lengthwise.

* Make yours stand out by using different types of ribbon, layering ribbons, or even looking at fabric trimmings. Use unusual beads, or don't wrap the ribbon around every bead.

* Be creative, have fun and don't be afraid to play with color combinations. It's as easy as taking it apart and starting over if you don't like it!