https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/fabric-covered-bead-necklace • Posted by MrSpunny
Most Fabric covered bead necklaces tutorials use wooden beads. This project fashions spun cotton balls instead, for a lighter, more comfortable necklace. I don't own a sewing machine and did all the sewing by hand. I think the whole project could be done in less than 30 minutes with a sewing machine. However I'm also a guy and this was my first time sewing so you may be much faster than I am.
Most Fabric covered bead necklaces tutorials use wooden beads. This project fashions spun cotton balls instead, for a lighter, more comfortable necklace. I don't own a sewing machine and did all the sewing by hand. I think the whole project could be done in less than 30 minutes with a sewing machine. However I'm also a guy and this was my first time sewing so you may be much faster than I am.
STEP 1: Make a 4.5″ x 90″ strip of fabric. For me, this involved cutting two 4.5″x45″ strips into a fabric bolt and sewing them together. To cut the fabric, I used a long ruler and a craft knife over a piece of plywood. However, for safety reasons, I recommend using fabric scissors. Before sewing the 2 strips together, I overlapped them by about an inch.
STEP 2: Shape the strip of fabric into a tube shape. Fold the fabric strip in half lengthwise and sew the long edges together. Try to sew small stitches for a more secure seam. This is easy to accomplish but time consuming, a sewing machine would have helped. VERY IMPORTANT: the "good" side of the fabric goes inside the tube. Once done with sewing, turn the tube inside out with a loop turner or a paper clip. The paper clip method: Start by solidly anchoring the paper clip to one end of the tube. Then, just slid the clip through the tube from one end to the other. The tube will turn inside out very easily.
STEP 3: Slide in the spun cotton balls and tie the knots. Tie a first knot where the two strips of fabric meet. Try to hide the seem. Slide a ball down one end of the tube until it reaches the middle of the necklace. Twist the fabric to push the ball as close to the middle as possible and tie a simple knot. Slide a second ball down the other end of the tube, twist the fabric and tie a new knot. Do the same with all the balls or until the desired necklace length has been reached.
STEP 4: The finishing touches For the endings to look nice, fold the fabric to create a 45 degree angle. Sew along the edges. Iron your fabric covered bead necklace on low heat to remove all the wrinkles.