Tutorial no.2 - Ribbon necklace

For this beaded necklace you will need:
Organza ribbon 7 x Silk covered beads
1 x necklace clasp 2 x split rings
2 x 7mm clamp ends (for ribbon)
1 x necklace tag





1. Cut two lengths of ribbon, one shorter than the other. I have used a 23 inch and 18 inch piece. Seal all the ends of the ribbon using the desired technique. Start with the longest length of ribbon and feed a bead into the middle of the length of ribbon. Carefully tie a knot either side of the bead making sure you do not pull the knot too tight.





2. Repeat this process for the other 4 beads but position them at equal distances from the centre bead.









3. Follow these steps again the shorter length of ribbon using the last 3 beads.










4. Gather the split rings, clamp ends and necklace tag together.









6. Position the shorter length ribbon on top of the longer length ribbon and feed into the clamp ends. Secure the clamps using pliers.








7. Attach split rings to both clamp ends and then the necklace clasp and tag to either end. And there you have it, a simple but impressive ribbon necklace.

Keep calm and..........................

If you fallen for the 'Keep Calm and Carry On' craze that has swept the nation then you will love love this website - www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk
The website allows you to play around with the wording and the images to create your very own poster. It really is fab and the guy who runs the website is very helpful and open to any suggestions for images etc (he very kindly uploaded the scissors for me).

I love my final creation but can't decide whether to keep with the scissors or go with the crown...........

First tutorial - Summer fun hair bow

So, I thought I would share with you a tutorial for some lovely hair bows that I have been making. You can have so much fun choosing different ribbons, colours, patterns and buttons. The one I have shown is made of grosgrain but I have made them with double satin and they have been equally as nice!





1. Cut your length of ribbon to desired length. I find that 20" is enough to make a decent sized girls bow which is around 3 1/2" wide and 2 1/2" high.






2. Fold the ribbon in half lengthwise - be sure that both edges meet. Cut both of the ends of the ribbon in a V as shown here (cut outwards towards the ends of the ribbon). Seal the ends using your preferred method.







3. Fold the ribbon over into three loops ensuring that the ends of the ribbon are on opposite sides.





4. I am loving these transparent hair bands that are just fantastic for holding bows in place. Once in place adjust the ribbon so that all the pieces are even and it looks neat.




5. Take a smaller piece of ribbon for the centre - seal the ends. I find that wrapping the ribbon around the bow twice holds it all in place nicely. You can fix in place with either a glue gun or stitching - I have stitched this example in blue so it shows up for the purpose of the tutorial.






6. Here is what it should look like from the front. Adjust the bow again as necessary.


7. Next sew on the chosen buttons - I like to use transparent thread so as not to ruin the look of the buttons but it is personal choice. Ensure these are safely and securely attached to the hair clip.
(Disclaimer: Buttons and other small embellishments present as a choking hazard for children under 3 and should therefore be avoided for this age group)





8. Finally sew or glue (depending on which you prefer) the hair clip to the back of the bow. Ensure that it is secure!






9. And here is the final product - a statement hair clip at a fraction of the cost of the high street :)