Dear community,
in this blog post you can find easy instructions for creating jewelry from fine silk – perfect for Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
Looking at my scraps of satin from the large satin quilt project, the idea dawned on me to make jewelry.
So today in the Advent calendar, we will be making last-minute jewelry from fine silk.
Sewing a silk necklace
You will need:
- Cotton wadding balls, mine have a diameter of approximately 2.5 cm – there are also larger ones. The amount depends on the size of the balls and the desired length of the necklace.
- Silk strips – for my 2.5 cm balls I cut out two strips 9 cm wide. Math problem: The circumference of a ball with a diameter of 2.5 cm = 7.5 cm + 2 seam allowances of 0.75 cm each = 9 cm strip width
- Matching thread for sewing and for tying off the balls, Poly Sheen thread by Mettler works very well on shiny silk fabrics
Sewing instructions:
- If you are using several colors, sew the strips together along the narrow side first,
- fold the strips together, right side to right side, and sew together the long side with a seam allowance of 0.75 cm.
- Stitch the end, insert a wooden stick, and turn the strips right side out.
- Use your hands to flatten out the seam allowance.
- Insert the balls one after another into the tube.
- Tie off the balls with a matching thread. Start with the ball that marks the color transition. You can separate the area of color between the balls.
- Turn the balls to make a small amount of space in between.
- If you are making a short necklace, this is where a necklace clasp would be sewn on the ends.
- For a longer necklace – mine is double the length – the ends are sewn together by hand with a small stitch.
Perhaps you have enough balls to also make a bracelet. I had 2 bags with 25 balls each; using 38 balls, the necklace turned out to be 120 cm long. This length works well as a single necklace over a sweater, and functions as a short necklace when doubled.
Have fun by “sewing” your silk necklace.
Best wishes and beautiful Advent season
Wiebke
Wow, that’s really interesting. I have never own this type of necklaces or pendants. I think you idea is really awesome and I would like to have a try. Thank you for your sharing.
Very pretty Weibke!
Thank you Jan