I’m excited to share my first step-by-step tutorial today. We’re going to make a DIY Woven Statement Necklace. I consider it to be an ideal DIY project. It’s fairly easy, it’s inexpensive, no special tools are needed, and it’s fast. But the best thing about this project is its versatility. Obviously, you can change the colors and embellishment. You can also change the size; make it longer, shorter, wider or narrower. You can change the mix and amount of plain weaving and fringe. So you can put your own personal spin on it and make your own one-of-a-kind work of art!
I’ve created a Pinterest board section of woven statement necklaces. Be sure to check it out for inspiration. You may also choose to visit a fiber shop for some tactile inspiration… there’s nothing like appreciating beautiful yarns in person. See the More Info section towards the bottom of this post for a tip on finding great fiber shops near you.
Dec 18 2018 Update: Inspired by fused glass pendants made by Cat Martin, I decided to Add a Little Sparkle for a holiday version of this DIY Woven Statement Necklace. Check out the post to see instructions for this and two more variations.
Sept 18 2018 Update: After visiting the Wildabout Wampum studio and boutique in Cocagne, New Brunswick, Canada, I created a second version of this DIY Woven Statement Necklace featuring a hand-crafted quahog shell heart pendant. I did make a few refinements in this version as noted at the end of this post. See my post Artisan Transforms Quahog Shells for the full story.
I hope inspiration has struck and you’re ready to get started. First, we’ll build a small loom. Second, we’ll use that loom to weave the statement necklace. Please feel free to post any questions or clarifications in the comments at the end of this post.
Supplies and tools
- Loom – 6″ x 8″ wooden frame, 12 x 1” finish nails, ruler, pencil and hammer (alternatively you could use a 4″ x 6″ frame)
- Yarn – 3 kinds of yarn (details below)
- Cardboard header – Cut strip of thin cardboard (from manila folder or mailing envelope) 3” long by ¾” wide.
- Tapestry needle
- Plastic fork
- Tape
- Cocktail straw
- Plastic triangle with 45⁰ angle (or similar template in paper or cardboard)
- Scissors
- Ball link chain in silver color – 24” (alternatively you could use a link chain or cord)
- Embellishment (suggestions at step 25)
If you had a chance to read my post about A Visit to Clara’s Loom, you may recognize this yarn. I purchased it during my visit with this project in mind.
We’ll use 3 types of yarn:
- Cotton yarn to be used for the warp (vertical) threads. I used Lily Sugar’n Cream 100% cotton yarn in white.
- Primary yarn to be used for most of the weaving and the fringe. I used Cascade Yarns Sunseeker Multi in a variegated green (Color 121).
- Decorative yarn to be used for accent weaving. I used Mango Moon silk ribbon variegated ribbon yarn in shades of blue, purple, green and yellow (color 4304 Saturn).
Build the loom
Step 1. We’ll use the frame horizontally so our warp threads will be 6” long. On the 8” edge of the frame, measure and mark a line 1/8” from the inside edge of the frame. Then along this line, mark 1” in from the left inside edge of the frame and mark every 1/4 “ for 6 nails. Repeat on the opposite 8” edge.
Step 2. Tap in 1” finish nails at each mark. Note we’re only using a portion of the frame; we will not be weaving across the entire width.
Warp the loom
For clarity, let’s orient ourselves to the frame so we’re on the same page. You’ll want to place it as shown with one of the long 8” edges with the nails directly in front of you. The instructions will refer to this as the BOTTOM of the frame. The opposite 8” side with nails will, of course, be the TOP of the frame. LEFT and RIGHT are obviously the two short 6” edges. The warp thread will run from the BOTTOM to the TOP. We will weave from the BOTTOM of the loom to the TOP and from LEFT to RIGHT.
Step 3. Warp the loom using the cotton yarn. Begin at BOTTOM LEFT of the loom. Cut a piece of cotton yarn about 80” long. Tie one end of the cotton yarn around the frame and make a firm knot. Alternatively, you could tie it to the first nail. Run cotton yarn from BOTTOM to TOP and over the first nail on the TOP LEFT. Bring the cotton yarn back down to BOTTOM, down and around first BOTTOM LEFT nail, and back up to the next TOP nail. Use your fingers to keep tension firm; you want some ease without being too loose and you want some firmness without being too tight.
Step 4. Continue until all nails have been wrapped. Knot yarn at BOTTOM RIGHT of loom. Or alternatively, tie the end to the last nail.
Step 5. Take the piece of cardboard and weave it through the warp threads alternating over and under. Slide the cardboard down to BOTTOM of the loom so it is snug. This cardboard header will help keep your yarn tight and will give us some room to maneuver later.
Create plain weave heading
Step 6. Use the primary yarn. Cut about 30” and thread into tapestry needle. Start at the BOTTOM LEFT of the frame. Work the first row from LEFT to RIGHT. Leave about a 3” tail on the LEFT. Weave the primary yarn through the warp threads by going over and under. Be sure to work in the opposite path to the cardboard header meaning where the cardboard is over, your primary yarn should be under and so on.
Step 7. Pull yarn through leaving it loose and shaped into an arch.
Step 8. Use the plastic fork to gently slide the yarn snug against the cardboard. It’s important to leave this arc of slackness and then use the fork to remove that slack. This helps you keep the sides straight and square. If you skip the arcing step and merely pull the yarn across, the tension will likely be off and the sides will pull into a V shape.
Step 9. Weave a second row working from RIGHT to LEFT and alternating the over and under path with the previous row. Repeat this same process for a total of 9 rows. Trim yarn leaving about a 3” tail. Just tuck your tails to the back and keep them clear of your weaving; we will clean them up later.
Create fringe
Step 10. Create 3 rows of fringe with rya knots. Cut 34 x 20” lengths of primary yarn. Each rya knot is made around two warp threads. We’ll work LEFT to RIGHT and make 3 rows of fringe. Double up one length of the fringe yarn by folding it in half. Find the center of the doubled yarn (should be around 5”) and hold it over the first two warp threads at the LEFT. Pull the LEFT yarn to the back around under the first warp thread, moving from the outside to the inside. Then pull it up through between the 2 warp threads to the front. Do the same with the RIGHT yarn.
Step 11. Pull the fringe yarn tight by sliding the rya knot up towards the TOP. Then slide the rya knot down snug to the previous row of weaving. Continue across the row working with 2 warp threads at a time. You will have 6 rya knots. Don’t worry if the ends of your fringe aren’t even, we will trim it at a later step.
Step 12. I found it helpful to tape the fringe at this point. This keeps the yarns orderly for later trimming. Simply smooth out the fringe one strand at a time, laying it flat over your finger, pull and place all the yarns so they are flat and straight. Put a piece of tape across to hold them in place. Flip over the yarns and add a matching piece of tape on the backside.
Step 13. For the second row of fringe, work from LEFT to RIGHT again beginning with the second warp thread from the LEFT. You need to skip that first warp thread to offset the rya knots between rows. You will have 5 rya knots in the second row. Complete the third, final row of rya knots in exactly the same way as you did the first row of fringe.
Weave section of plain weaving
Step 14. Cut about 20” of primary yarn. Weave 6 rows of plain weaving following the same procedure you did in steps 6 to 9.
Weave section of decorative yarn
Step 15. Cut about 25” of decorative yarn. Weave 7 rows of plain weaving with the decorative yarn following the same procedure you did in steps 6 to 9. Take care to keep the ribbon yarn flat and neat as you weave.
Weave final section of plain weaving
Step 16. This is the final section of weaving. Cut about 40” of primary yarn. Use the primary yarn to weave 17 rows of plain weaving following the same procedure you did in steps 6 to 9.
TIP: Keep an eye on your weaving to ensure your rows are alternating correctly. If you discover a mistake, simply pull out the mistake and redo.
Remove weaving from loom
Step 17. Flip all fringe yarns up so the BOTTOM of the loom is accessible.
Step 18. Slide out the cardboard header. Working one BOTTOM loop at a time, cut the loop at the nail and tie the two ends together snugly against weaving. Alternatively, you could tie a knot in the loop without cutting it.
Step 19. After you’ve removed and tied all 6 loops, untie the original beginning and ending warp thread knots. Trim to about 3”. Use the tapestry needle to weave these tails into the back of the weaving.
Step 20. Slip the TOP loops off the nails taking care to keep the loose tail at the top under control. As an optional step, you may choose to tie knots in these loops at this point.
Step 21. Sew all loose tails into the back of the weaving using the tapestry needle. Simply merge the tails into your weaving taking care to keep them hidden from the front.
Step 22. Cut a piece of cocktail straw about 1” long. Weave it through the TOP loops. You may wish to make a couple of snips in the ends of the straw. These will help keep the straw from sliding on the ball chain.
Trim fringe
Step 23. Next we will trim the fringe. Work with one row of fringe at a time; starting with the first, bottom row of fringe. Use the 45⁰ angle on the plastic triangle to guide your cuts. You may wish to add some tape so you can actually mark the cutting line with a pen. The first bottom row of fringe will be about 2.5” inches long at its longest point on the left edge.
Step 24. Cut fringe with scissors. Repeat this procedure for the second, middle row of fringe. Marking and cutting it about 1/2” shorter than the first row. Do the same for the third, top row of fringe. Remove all tape.
Finishing Touches
Step 25. You may wish to embellish your statement necklace. There are lots of options including vintage buttons, interesting beads, jewelry charms, novelty buttons, vintage pins/brooches and vintage earrings. I chose to use a little blue flower vintage button. Simply use a piece of yarn to sew the accent to your weaving.
Step 26. Insert the ball chain into the cocktail straw through the top loops. You’re done! Find the perfect outfit to showcase your work of art and get ready for the compliments!
Sept 18 2018 Update: After visiting the Wildabout Wampum studio and boutique in Cocagne, New Brunswick, Canada, I created a second version of this DIY Woven Statement Necklace featuring a hand-crafted quahog shell heart pendant. I did make a few refinements in this version including:
- Used decorative yarn instead of primary yarn for the second row of fringe (step 13)
- Due to the light weight of the decorative yarn, increased the number of rows of plain weaving from 7 rows to 12 (step 15)
- Reduced the number of rows of plain weaving in the final section from 17 rows to only 2 (step 16)
- Used a blank metal jewelry connector instead of a cocktail straw for the top bar (step 22)
See my post Artisan Transforms Quahog Shells for the full story. Please pin this image to your Pinterest board for reference.
More Info
See my blog post called A Visit to Clara’s Loom for the necklaces that inspired this project. You can also see a few more examples on my Pinterest Fiber Arts board.
There are also some examples on Clara’s Loom Facebook page. Facebook is also a good way to reach Clara’s Loom if you wish to purchase yarn or would prefer to buy one of her beautiful finished necklaces.
As noted in my previous post, NeedleTravel is a great online resource for locating noteworthy fiber and fabric shops in the USA. The Find Shops Near My Location feature in their NeedleTravel app is easy to use and super convenient.
When I was first learning to weave I relied heavily on YouTube videos. “Weaving for Beginners” a 5-part series by Annabel Wrigley / Creativebug is one of my favorites. Her explanations are clear and her directions are easy to follow. The instruction is delivered at a good pace. Her designs are fun and innovative. You may want to reference these videos if you get stuck on any of the steps in this tutorial. Or you may decide to take on more weaving projects.
Dec 18 2018 Update: Check out the post, Add a Little Sparkle, for 3 holiday versions of the DIY Woven Statement Necklace complete with instructions.
Today’s Takeaways
- Patience and persistence are important when trying a new craft. It took me 5 attempts to create this final version of the necklace.
- Have fun with this statement necklace. There are countless variations that you can make by switching the colors, the yarns, the design, etc.
- Making something beautiful with your own hands is very gratifying.
Pin for Later
You may want to pin this post to your Pinterest board for later reference. Please pin this image.
Happy Making!
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