DIY Knitted Winter Wreath

I know wreaths are usually associated with Christmas, but I created this knitted winter wreath with an eye towards having one I could display all winter long. It's Christmas-appropriate but also perfect for displaying during the frosty, freezing winter doldrums when all you want to do is huddle under a million blankets and drink your weight in hot chocolate. (New England, I have such a love/hate affair with you!)

I'm going to give you a general outline, so that you can customize this to your taste. I'd advise using what you already have. It's a great scrap yarn project!

I had a thick (either Aran or Bulky weight, I believe) almost curly off-white yarn sitting around. I cast on varying amounts of stitches (I want to say 7 for the smaller one - aka the inner one shown above - and 10 for the larger one) on size 13 needles. Then I knit in i-cord until it was a length I was pleased with.

Now, since I used large needles, my i-cord is a bit hole-y/lace-y. I knew my stuffing would match the yarn pretty closely and only be noticeable close up, so this was intentional. Why cast on more stitches and make a tighter tube if it won't show? (Also known as, I was being lazy. I'm okay with that.)

Here's a close-up of my two i-cord tubes. For the rest of this tutorial, I'll be using the larger one. I decided I liked it better.

I had some polyfill laying around, so I used a long, straight knitting needle to pack it in. I wanted this to not sag when hung up, so I stuffed it pretty tightly. If you don't mind a little drooping, stuff it less. There's no right or wrong way! Then stitch the ends of your tube together. I chose to sort of graft them into one continuous tube, rather than closing both ends and then connecting them. You could do it either way, this one is just a bit faster.

Choose a ribbon, and either use a large needle (like a tapestry one) to pull it under a loop so it's secure when you tie a bow or make a bow and then hot glue it on.

Trim the ends to whatever length you like, and voila! I thought gold and white would be nice winter colors, but use what you have. You could do light blue and white, red and white, gray and white, ice blue and light gray, etc.

Here's my finished wreath! The whole thing took me less than two hours so you could whip one up in a day as well.

DIY Chandelier Crystal, Lapis, and Gold Necklace

Like my DIY bead bar necklaces, this is another super-simple tutorial. Take an octagonal chandelier crystal with holes drilled on opposite sides (you can buy these online, I found mine in the "Supplies" section of Etsy) and then pick out a teardrop shaped bead. I used one that's about an inch long, and made of lapis-colored glass since I really like the combination of white, blue, and gold together. You could also go with a pearl drop, green glass drop, or even a gold one. You could use a round bead as well, but I think the teardrop shape balances out the octagonal crystal better - I think you need something longer than the crystal to give it a lavalier-type look.

My chandelier crystal still had one original hanging wire attached, so I simply slipped a large gold jump ring onto it and then closed the loop. The crystal also had a drilled hole at the bottom, so I simple slipped a large gold jump ring through it, added the lapis, then closed it. I strung this onto gold-plated chain, and instantly had an elegant, vintage-inspired necklace to wear. So easy, right? I think it looks very 1920s England/Downton Abbey-esque. What do you think?

Since you usually have to buy multiple beads at a time, the extras would be great for turning into one-of-a-kind holiday or birthday gifts for friends and family.

DIY Bead/Gem and Gold Wire Bar Necklaces

I don't know if I should actually call this post about DIY bead/gem and gold wire bar necklaces a tutorial, it's so simple that you really don't need more than a few basic instructions!

First, pick out some fairly thick gold wire. I used 40 gauge. Use something thick enough that it will hold its shape and not get bent easily with wear. Then select matching gold (either real, gold-plated, or gold tone - your choice!) chain. Make sure the links are wide enough to slip onto the wire.

Cut a length of wire with the wire-cutting part of your pliers. I usually do about three inches, leaving myself extra that I can cut off later. Take a pair of needle-nose pliers, and form a loop at one end, as shown. Slip the chain onto the loop, and tighten the loop to close it.

Then just add your beads! Make sure their openings are wide enough to fit onto the wire. In the first picture here, you can see I used some diamond shaped green glass beads and then irregular white quartz ones. Put on as many or as few beads as you wish. I made my line of beads about 2 - 2.5 inches long. Leave a bit of wire to form a loop, then cut off the extra. Form your second loop, doing the best you can to make it match the shape of your first one (you can fiddle with both loops after to make them match, or just leave as is - to be honest, people probably won't notice!). Before you tighten it, slip on the other end of your chain. Then close the loop. That's it!

I like my necklaces long, so I used about 30 inches of chain. Since this makes it easy to slip the necklaces over my head, I didn't need a clasp. If you want a shorter necklace that needs a clasp, I'd cut two lengths of chain and slip one end of each onto each loop, and then add your clasps. When you do this part, remember that one side of the clasp (the one with the hook you open) will be longer than the other. So, make that section of chain just a bit shorter so that when you line up each piece of chain with your clasp pieces, the total lengths end up being equal. Is this clear? If not, let me know and I'll add a picture!

Since these bar necklaces have sparkle and shine, they'd be make great accessories for holiday parties. They also make inexpensive, easy Christmas and holiday gifts for your friends and family!

DIY Anchor Leather Bracelet Tutorial

If you saw my DIY bracelet post featuring gold tube beads and leather, you may remember that I promised a bonus project to use up your extra leather cord. 

I used my extra pieces to make this anchor and leather bracelet in two colors. It's just as easy as the original project!

Take your extra cord, and measure around your wrist. You can make it fairly snug, or larger like a bangle. Up to you! Sometimes I do this with a piece of twine or other string, instead of using the cord I'm going to be cutting. 

This is the total length of your anchor charm, end caps, jump rings, clasp, and cord. It helps to lay everything out on your work surface. For the lengths of cord on either side of the anchor, you'll want to double them and note that some of the length will be inside the end cap (so add a few millimeters if you want the bracelet to be snug).

I decided to go with this gold anchor charm, since it had space on both ends for me to string cord. I'll be stringing the round leather cord through the loop on the top, and around the prongs at the bottom of the anchor.

I used gold because I like how it contrasts with red and blue, but you can use whatever metal color you like.

Take your two lengths of cord, and string them as shown. Don't worry about making them completely even - you can do that in the next step.

Find some gold tube crimp beads. These ones are 7.5mm on the inside, so they were wide enough to accommodate two widths of my 3mm cord.

Even up your cord lengths so they are folded perfectly in half. Add a crimp bead near where you strung your cord on either end, and use needle-nose or jeweler's pliers to tighten. Be careful not to tighten too much, however. You want the two sides of cord to lay flat next to each other, rather than stacking on top of each other.

Also, don't put a crimp bead too close to the prongs at the bottom. Leave a bit of space so that the anchor charm will lay flat when you wear the bracelet. If you put the crimp bead too close, it will end up right under the anchor charm instead of next to it, and won't look right.

Add your end caps, as described in the gold tube and leather bracelet post. Let the glue dry thoroughly before moving on to the next step.

Add jumps rings and a clasp to the end caps, and your bracelet is finished. You can see the blue version I made here.

This nautical-themed bracelet is great for summer, but also works well for adding a touch of the sea and ocean to your outfit year-round. Like the gold tube and leather bracelets, this anchor bracelet would make a thoughtful handmade Christmas or holiday gift!

DIY Leather and Gold Tube Bracelets Tutorial

These leather and gold tube bracelets seem to be everywhere lately. The good news is that you can make your own custom version very easily, in exactly the colors you want! You can also make more for friends and family members - they'd make great handmade Christmas or holiday gifts.

First, decide which color cord you'd like. I went with bright red, since I like how it contrasts with gold. You could also use silver or brass findings, if you'd prefer a different metal.

I used 3mm round cord, so it wouldn't be too thick or too thin. You need round cord to go with the tube beads - they just won't sit right on flat cord.

I threw in some blue cord as well, just for contrast. This one is a very bright, indigo blue.

Other than gold tube beads (not shown), you'll need a few other types of findings. For the record, since my cord was 3mm, I used 4mm tube beads. 3mm would be too tight, but 5mm would be too big. Try to go only 1mm over your cord width.

You'll need to choose a clasp. I went with these gold lobster ones. They make it much easier to put on bracelets yourself than other types of clasps.

You'll need some jump rings as well. I went with ones that are 4.5mm across inside (6mm total). You could use a slightly smaller one if you'd like, but I wouldn't go any larger.

You'll need end caps for your cord. I went with these flat ones, so I could fit two lengths of cord inside. This gives your bracelets a "stacked" look, while halving the number of clasps you have to open and close! You could use single ones, or larger ones (say, for 3 or 4 lengths of cord). These ones are 7mm x 3mm.

I measured my cord by wrapping it around my wrist and then cutting. Remember that adding end caps, jump rings, and clasps will add a bit of length to your bracelet. So if you don't want them to be too loose and bangle-y, go with a slightly shorter length. Make sure your lengths are the same if you'll be using the double end caps (or larger). Otherwise, they'll bunch up in strange ways instead of sitting neatly on top of each other.

Slide a gold tube bead onto each length of cord. With one length of cord, I tried adding a dab of glue in the middle of cord and then stringing the bead over it to keep it from moving around. Let's just say that the glue got pushed around and went everywhere *but* inside the tube! I found I didn't need it with the other lengths - the tube beads are tight enough on the cord not to slide around much (if at all).

Attach your end caps. I used a dab of jewelry-appropriate glue on the inside of the cap, just to make sure the cords don't slip out. The cords will fit very tightly into the cap, but I just wanted a little extra security.

I chose to use the same colors of cord in each, but you could do multiple colors. Play around and see what you like the best!

When the glue has dried completely (follow the directions on the bottle/jar), add a jump ring to one end and a jump ring & clasp to the other. Here's what your finished bracelets will look like unclasped!

Here are the finished bracelets, stacked on top of each other like they would be on a wrist. Make as many or as few as you like - it's very easy to customize these in every way.

In my next post, I'll have a bonus project to use up your extra lengths of cord!

Spring Etsy Finds

I just thought I'd share some of the spring Etsy finds I've been loving lately! 

I've become a little obsessed with Marimo moss. The balls are bright green and velvety! The moss is actually an algae that likes to live in water and is easy to grow. You can buy this premade Japanese Marimo moss ball terrarium by Pink Serissa for instant greenery and detail in your home, or you could purchase a moss ball and some pebbles and make your own.

Spring seems to call for simple jewelry to match with flowing, colorful dresses, and these sterling silver teardrop dangle earrings by Popsicle Drum are the perfect accent. The hammered surface adds subtle detail, and the size is just right. I also like that they're dangly, so they'll move with you or in the breeze like a tiny windchime.

This beach limpet shell pendant necklace by Rock Rose Jewellery is another great simple piece. Limpets are one of my favorite shells to collect, so this lovely silver pendant also reminds me of happy childhood summer days at the beach!

To go along with the simple jewelry theme, here's a delicate gold bar nameplate necklace by Momentus NY. I like the classic look - it's not something that will go out of style. The nameplate bar is also different than the usual round or oval name pendants that you see.

I've always been fascinated by cuckoo clocks, but I've never seen them given a modern twist before! These neon pink and gold cuckoo clocks by Gallivanting Girls are classic cuckoo clocks from Germany that have been painted in hot pink, gold, and white. I think they'd be perfect in a modern white living room or hallway. I wonder if the bird inside has been painted, too!

What Etsy finds are you loving so far this spring?

DIY Painted Patterned Stenciled Feathers

In this DIY tutorial, I'll show you how to easily and quickly stencil feathers in a variety of patterns using just a few materials that you can easily obtain!

You'll need feathers, Rub N Buff gold paint (or another paint in whatever color you like), a stiff brush for stenciling, and paper for making stencils.

I decided to repurpose some ho-hum feathers from a pair of earrings I bought for next to nothing, but you could also use regular feathers from a craft store. I liked these because they already have caps on the end, which makes it easier to turn them into jewelry again. You could also buy crimp caps and add the end yourself after they're painted.

Take your piece of paper, fold it in half if you're making a symmetrical pattern, and cut out a shape. Here, I cut out a line at a slant to make a chevron stripe.

Place your stencil over your feather.

I lined up the point in the middle of the stencil with the line going down the feather to make sure that it was centered.

Now it's time to paint! I put a piece of paper under the feather to keep the paint that might go through the individual plumes from staining my work surface. Wax paper works great for this as well. Then I squeezed out a little paint onto the paper, dipped the brush into it, and then stippled it (a hard up and down motion, like you're hitting the brush against the paint) on a different area to get off the excess paint. You don't want too much paint on the brush or it will seep under your stencil.

Then I stippled over my stencil with the brush, making sure I got nice even coverage of the uncovered area. If you need more paint, just reload your brush like you did initially. Make sure you hold your stencil down nice and flat and taut over the feather. This keeps the paint from going under the edges of the stencil.

Carefully remove your stencil and you should have a stripe that looks like this!

You can cut lots of different stencils to get different results. Here are a few that I did.

You can see the accompanying stencils I made for each feather here. From top to bottom: the chevron one already shown, a nice thick line (I painted this three times: two times to form an "x", and a final time down at the bottom with the stencil spilling over the edge), polka dots, and an argyle stripe.

For the polka dots, I used a hole punch to cut out circles in a random pattern. Then I just stenciled over each hole.

Here I reused the chevron stripe to make it a double.

A triple stripe looks nice as well!

I think this stencil was my favorite. First, I cut out a diamond shape, and stenciled this in the middle. Then, I cut out an "X", centered the stencil over the diamond (let it dry first), and carefully stippled it. The "X" had a lot of edges to hold down, so I went slowly and carefully to make sure it didn't bleed under the edges at all.

I think next I might try thin stripes stenciled into a gingham or plaid pattern, stars, triangles, or a combination of polka dots and stripes.

Let the feathers dry thoroughly, and then turn them into whatever kind of jewelry you like! Make matching (or even non-matching) ones for a pair of earrings, turn one into a pendant, or use different sizes for a string of feathers along a length of chain. You could put the biggest as the center pendant, with gradually-smaller ones on each side going back towards the clasp. You could also attach them to string or leather and then braid them into your hair for a Bohemian look! These would be great for making DIY Christmas presents as well.

DIY Silver Spool Knit Necklace

I discovered spool knitting last year, and I've become addicted to it! It may look complicated initially, but it's actually really simple to create the knitted hollow tube once you get the hang of it and the end results look elegant and modern.

I made the flapper necklace shown above by spool knitting, and I'll show you how to make your own necklace below!



For tools, you'll need an old wooden spool, a crochet hook, 5 tacks or nails, and string. I used thick vintage silver metallic thread. If you can't find an old wooden spool, they do sell newer plastic contraptions that you can spool knit on.


Try to evenly space the tacks around the hole in the middle, and hammer them down about 1/3 to 1/2 of their length. Don't worry about it being perfect - you can see my spacing is just a little bit off, but the necklace still turned out well!


Take the end of your thread, and feed it down the hole from top to bottom.

Working counterclockwise around the hole, loop the string at the top of the hole clockwise around each tack/nail. Your string's tail should still be sticking out of the bottom of your spool.

Go around one more time, counterclockwise around the hole but clockwise around the pegs.


Now take the end of your string that's hanging out of the bottom of your spool, and hook it around your pinky. Then feed it back up the hole from bottom to top.


Hook the tail under the two rounds and then over them. Feed the tail back down the hole again from top to bottom. Remove your pinky when the tube is longer (hanging out the bottom) and pull the end so that the loop over the rounds is tight. This locks the thread around the bottom of the knitted tube so that pulling the tube down as you go along to make room for new rounds is easier.


To knit, use the crochet hook to pull the bottom loop on each peg over the top loop and off the nail. Go around each peg (5 total). Then loop your string around again, counterclockwise around the hole and clockwise around each peg.

Repeat until your tube is the length you would like! It really is that easy.


Here's what the tube looks like when it comes out the bottom of the spool. When your tube is the desired length, cut the silver thread you've been looping around, leaving a generous tail (6"). Leave only one round of loops on the nail. Thread the tail through one loop, and then pull the loop off the nail. Do this with all remaining 4 loops, and then pull the tail tight to finish! You may pull it through the last loop again and knot it at this point, just to be extra-secure.



I decided to make my knitted tube about 75 inches long, so I could comfortably loop it around my neck three times. I tied the tails of the ends together, and trimmed them so they wouldn't show to make one big loop. You can cut the tails to 1/4" to 1/2" if you like and weave them in with the crochet hook to hide them.



You can also knit three shorter tubes of the same length, and then braid them together to make a bracelet. Here, I mixed two silver tubes with one gold one. I think metallic accessories are perfect for the holidays - they go perfectly with red and green, and gleam against the soft whites of freshly-fallen snow and candlelight!

To create the flapper-style necklace shown in the first photo with your tube, loop the tube around your neck twice. Pull on the bottom loop so that the top loop is close to your neck (as you can see in the photo) and the bottom loop hangs very low over your stomach. Take the bottom loop, and treating it like one big piece of string, tie it into a knot. Gently adjust so that the knot is where you want it to be along the tube, and then tighten the knot.

You can vary this project in lots of different ways, however - larger spools, smaller ones, yarn instead of silver thread, and colored thread instead of silver! You could even spool knit with leather cord instead of string. Use whatever you have, or just whatever you like!