Braided Rope Necklace DIY

Last week I was talking about how I want to make more statement necklaces, remember? Well, we’re still toying around in the studio trying to come up with jewelry that’s fun and bold but also really wearable. This rope necklace is my new favorite. See below for the neon necklace’s more neutral and nautical cousin too. 🙂

For the braids I used parachute cord, which comes in tons of bright colors and very thin white rope. I loved the result of both, but the parachute cord is a little bit more sturdy.

To make this necklace— 1. Start with 8-12 strands of rope or parachute cord that are each 8 inches long. Tape the ends of one side down to a table or use a clipboard to secure them. 2. Divide the rope into three sections and braid them. Be sure to keep the strands flat and untwisted as you braid. 3. Tape the ends of the rope with fabric tape. 4. Attach chain to each end (you’ll need to add a clasp in the middle of the chain as well) and add more tape, creating a cone shape at the end of each side. Optional: Coat the tape with tripe thick glaze and use gold leafing on over the tape. (Learn more about gold leafing here) Be sure to add another coat of glaze at the end to seal it and allow it to cure completely before wearing.

Done!

I used the extra rope and cord to wrap some vases for my home. Sometimes trying to think of a way to use extra supplies after a project is almost as much fun as the project itself. 🙂 PS. I love carnations right now.

Hope you have a great weekend! TGIF. xo. Elsie