This charming thing

I love reading posts about fashion DIY. Some of the things I've seen on line recently are so gorgeous and professional looking they could belong in a shop. The great thing about DIY is that you can put your on spin on it so no one else will have one exactly like it :) And as much I love shopping I think you treasure things that you make yourself and it means more to you.

If you read my blog regularly you will know that I have an obsession with jewellery and recently started making my own. I love making things and I love all the creative fashion inspiration thats about so I thought I would do this post and share how I made these fabric charm bracelets

Materials

You will need

Scissors. Preferably fabric scissors, but it doesn't matter if they're not

Jewellery pliers or normal pliers. A normal pair of scissors will probably work but be careful nothing flies off in your face as its harder to cut the mental links using scissors

Fabric of your choice. Lace is quite pretty if you have some

A chain. You can get a meter length from places like Hobby Craft if you want to make a few to wear, other wise an old chain you don't use any more will be fine.

Eye and clasp You can use a clasp off an old necklace, but for the 'eye' bit you will need one of these to secure the fabric. I would imagine they're easy enough to pick up in a local craft shop, you can also find them on another necklace you could use, but careful you don't accidentally snap it when you use the pliers to take it off 

Start by measuring the chain around your wrist to get the length you want

Cut it using the pliers

Then measure the fabric to the same length and cut a strip off.

You can have your fabric any width you like, I cut mine about half an inch to an inch wide

You will need to cut at least two strips so you can plait it with the chain but you can cut more if you want it to be thicker

Put the lengths of fabric and chain together. In the bracelets pictured above I used two strips of fabric but for this one I'm using 5 strips plus the chain

Start plaiting

Secure one of the ends with the eye. Slide the fabric in the eye and use the pliers to push one side down and then the other. Its quite fiddly but doesn't take long when you get the hang of it :)

Tie the other end securely together. Cut the ends off

Add your clasp to the other end of the chain using the pliers/scissors

Start adding your charms to it :)

If they don't already have links on them you can use cut some of the links

from the left over bit of chain to attach them

Snip any loose threads off if you need to. I didn't with the first three I made but with this one depending on your fabric it may fray easily and you may need to neaten the edges up



Voila!

If you love DIY posts I seriously suggest that you check out this lovely  Lady's blog.
aboutlovemaegan.blogspot.com 
I've just spent the last half an hour lusting after her DIY creations. They are endless and she is very talented you will not be disappointed!

love and kisses

x x x x