{guest post} DIY Statement Necklace by Thanks I Made It.

I’m so excited to be able to feature a DIY project on my blog while I’m away this week. Meet Erin Pruckno, of Thanks I Made It. Her blog is a relative newcomer on the DIY scene… and a must read – her projects are incredible! Erin is a fellow New Yorker… I can’t wait up to meet up with her for crafts post-vacation!

Hey everyone, I’m Erin from Thanks, I Made It! I’ve always admired Grace’s DIY attitude and creativity; plus I share her appreciation of all things sparkly. I’m incredibly excited to share a DIY tutorial to create a piece of bright and colorful jewelry here on Stripes & Sequins.

I like to think of this project as a combination of many other designers and DIYers: a mash-up of fringe necklaces (like I Spy DIY and Missoni) and neon-painted jewels a la Tom Binns (check out Grace’s DIY version). Joomi Lim’s necklaces are the best of both worlds: an amazing combination of texture and color. With some vibrant-hued supplies, they are also an easily customized DIY!

Tools and materials:

Plastic or glass gem necklace

Neon colored nail polish or paint

Fringe trim (I used two colors, and about 9 inches of each)

Needle and thread

Scissors

More, after the jump!

Before we start, I have two quick shortcuts to add. (Aren’t you glad I do things the hard way for you?) Geneva at A Pair and a Spare painted a similar rhinestone necklace with spray paint, a trick that would save you hands on time. Also, many places like M&J Trimming have fringe in different lengths. Picking up short and medium length fringe would also make things easier.

Begin by painting individual jewels.

Let dry, and apply additional coats of polish or paint as needed.

Because my necklace was so large, I left a few jewels at the bottom unpainted. Once the polish was dry, I pried them off with my pliers.

Line up your fringe with the necklace to determine how much you need. I decided on about 8 1/2 inches.

Cut both colors of fringe to that length. I suggest using a lighter to gently melt the cut ends and prevent fraying.

To trim down the light teal fringe, I taped down the top of the fringe, and then placed a second piece of tape across the fringe strands. Using scissors, I cut along the second piece of tape. Line up the trim and necklace again. Thread a needle with a matching color of thread, embroidery floss, or even clear fishing line or bead string.

Knot the thread, and push needle through both layers of trim and under the necklace. Tie the thread to the necklace. Continue to sew the fringe to the necklace, creating stitches that loop in between the small jewels of the necklace.