Tutorial: Knotted Fabric Necklaces

Today, seeing as a few of you asked, I thought I was share with you a quick tutorial on how I make my knotted fabric necklaces. They are so quick and easy and add a burst of colour to any outfit.

You will need:

• Fabric of your choice (the amount will differ depending on how long a necklace you want)
• Ribbon (again this will differ. I used 85cm of Ribbon)
• Wooden Beads or Styrofoam balls
• Tape Measure
• Scissors
• Safety Pin for turning the fabric tube right side out.
• Co-ordinating thread
• Sewing Machine (But if you are keen you could hand stitch)
• Iron
• Co-ordinating Thread

The amount of fabric will depend on the length you want for your finished necklace. For example for this necklace the length of my fabric is 110cm and the finished knotted fabric section of this necklace is 45cm. You could do longer or shorter depending on the length of your desired necklace and the size of your beads. The easiest way I have found to figure out your required length is to drape a tape measure around your neck whilst looking in the mirror, get your measurements and then double the amount and plus approx 15cm.

Materials

 

1. My Styrofoam balls are 2.5cm balls. Now you can get all mathematical and calculate the width of the fabric by using everything you learnt about Pi in high school or you could just do what I did and wrapped my tape measure around the ball and allow for the seam allowance.

 2. Cut your fabric once you have discovered your circumference of your ball/bead.

  The width of my fabric is 10cm. It's lenght is 110cm

 3. Fold your Fabric in half length ways, right sides together and press.

 4. Head on over to your sewing machine and start sewing the long side down. I just used my foot at the guide and lined the seam allowance up with the edge of my fabric.

Ta da- one long tube of fabric

 5. Now you need to turn your tube around the right way. The easiest way I have found to do this is to grab a safety pin and insert it as shown in the photo's below.

6. Fold it in and starting feeding through

 8. Tada, it is now the right way round! You can press it now if you would like but it doesn't really matter as you are going to be knotting it in a minute anyway.

 9. Put a knot near the bottom end of your fabric tube. You need to leave a tail long enough to sew on your ribbon.

 10. Start stuffing those balls down the tube.

 11. Tie a knot after each ball.

 11. Keep going until you are happy with how your necklace looks. I ended up using 9 beads for this necklace.

 12. Fold the ends of your tube to the inside. (you can press them with and iron now if it takes your fancy) Repeat for other end.

 13. Insert ribbon inside tube and pin. Repeat for other end

 14. Stitch down with your machine (or by hand) Again repeat for other end.

15. Fold the end of tube in three to give it a nicer finish and either machine stitch it down or stitch by hand.

 16. I needed to seal of the ends of my ribbon so they wouldn't fray. The easiest way is to do that is with a lighter.

Ta da your necklace is finished!

If any instructions are unclear or you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. This is my first tutorial and I am far from being an expert.

If you wanted you could use more fabric and less ribbon by making your first knot further down and leaving a longer tail piece, it really is up to you.

If you do happen to make any of these necklaces please do pop back and show me your finished creation.

Amy xx

Edit: I have posted a small update to this tutorial here. It shows you an alternative to using ribbon.