DIY Statement Necklace

Hello!  Today I'm going to share a statement necklace that I made.  I decided that I wanted a chunky statement necklace with mixed metal chains and pearls.  I checked a few out on Etsy, but there were $75 or more.  I decided that I could make one for myself much cheaper and cutomize it to exactly what I want.  It's a simple project if you're willing to take the time to find the necklaces.

You will need:

1.  several vintage necklaces of your choosing

2.  needle nose pliers

3.  wire cutters

4.  jump rings

You may also need a lobster clasp if you can't use one from the necklaces you chose.  You may also need jewelry wire if you chose beaded necklaces or pearl necklaces that you will need to attach to a jump ring.

Tips on selecting necklaces:

1.  You can find affordable necklaces at vintage shops, antique shops, or flea markets.

2.  Choose long necklaces or necklaces with layers of chains to get the most for your money.

3.  Choose necklaces with something special about them.  You may want rhinestones, or little charm that will make your necklace more interesting.

4.  Chain necklaces are the easiest to work with, because you can attach them directly to the jump rings.

5.  If you can't find exactly what you are looking for at vintage shops, you can supplement your necklace with chains found at any craft supply store.

The first step to making your necklace is to decide how long you want your necklace.  I like to use one necklace as a guide.  I cut one of the chains to the length I wanted using the wire cutters and matched all of my other chains to that length.  You will want to wear safety glasses when you are cutting your chains, because the pieces do tend to jump up in the air as you cut them.

I like to use as many parts of the vintage necklace as I can.  I used this section of chain (above) as an extender for my necklace.

This necklace is much easier if you choose necklaces that have chains large enough that you can attach them directly to the jump ring.

If you want to use a pearl or beaded necklace, you might have to restring the pearls.  The problem with many pearl necklaces is that they may not have a chain at the end to attach it to your jump ring.  To attach my pearl necklace, I had to restring it and tie the end of the wire to a jump ring.  It wasn't difficult, just a little time consuming.  Be sure to leave enough extra wire at the end so that you can easily tie it.















Once you have cut all of your chains to the length that you want, attach one end of each chain to a large jump ring.  Use your needle nose pliers to open and close the large jump ring.   When you have all of the chains attached to the jump ring on one end, twist and weave the necklaces together until you like how it looks.  Then attach the other end of each chain to a jump ring.  Attach a lobster clasp to one end, and an extender to the other end.

Put your necklace on and admire how it looks!

Linking up at Finding Fabulous