Crochet Necklace

The point of this eco fashion blog is not to see me in a zillion poses in my clothes. Nope, it’s to show how I up cycle, recycle, re-purpose, restyle – anything – to avoid the huge temptation to buy, buy buy. It’s a battle not to want lovely new clothes and accessories that pop up in the shops week after week. But if you head to the Greenie Dresses for Less Facebook page and watch some of the video links, it’s hard not be outraged at how the stuff we buy is made. This week I used fabric and wool off-cuts which I turned into a crochet necklace.

You need: –

• fabric strips
• wool
• coins with a hole punched in them
• needle
• thread
• button with large hole
• large crochet hook

You do: –

You need to join all your fabric strips together and cut long thin pieces about 3 centimetres wide. Fold them in half and press with an iron. Fold the edges inward and sew down. See picture.

Leaving a piece free at the start for your button, start to crochet your fabric strips making a chain until it’s long enough for your liking. I wanted a short choker necklace.

You can stitch the button on now – or later. Make sure to leave enough fabric at the other end so you can make a loop to fit over you button. That makes your closure.

I used wool next but you could use different colour fabric strips, ribbon, rope or even raw fabric strips. Ideally you want to use up odd and ends. And you can also add more rows than I did. You may not want the necklace too wide or you might look like an extra on Star Trek but you could have quite a few rows running down the front for a Tribal feel.

Lastly I sewed on the coins ubifrom distance apart. Again, you can use up whatever you have to hand. Maybe use bright beads or crystals. Just have fun with it.

Have a look at – this crochet necklace – made with wool and chain. And – this one – made with thick black rope. Or how about the one I made – here – made with fine wool and a scalloped pattern.

At the top of the page are Galleries with hopefully heaps of ideas and inspiration to help you DIY and not buy.

See you next week.

Greenie.