Artistry

By Judy Stinton

Transform leftover yarns, silky fabrics, beads and jewelry into fun and fabulous necklaces. It's the ultimate recycling project!

Materials

• 20" of 1/2"-diameter cording
• 36" of 1/4"-diameter cording
• 18 to 20 yards total length each (may be made up of shorter pieces) of metallic, nubby and smooth yarns
• Yarn, sewing and beading needles
• All-purpose sewing thread and Silamide thread for beading
• Beads, jewelry bits, found objects, buttons
• Clothespin and twist tie

Material Tips

• Choose yarns that have a medium to dark value. Pastel yarns will absorb skin oil, turning the necklace a brownish color over time.
• Use cording sold in the home decorating department--as it's firmer than cable cord.
• If nubby yarn is unavailable, rip 1/2"-wide strips of silky fabric and knot it every 1 1/2".
• Substitute 3/8"- to 1/2"-wide bias strips of silky fabric, silk ribbon, pearl cotton or soutache braid for the smooth yam.
• Avoid knitting-worsted yarns; they'll give the necklace a dull appearance.
• Small spots of exposed cording can be touched up with felt-tip markers.