Make your own jewellery

Get down to some craft in the park with this dainty, easy-to-make necklace.

This charming garland is perfect for frolicking on a sunny summer’s day. The felt flowers, simply threaded at intervals on a string of spring-green seed beads, were traditionally used in hat decoration and are now being used with renewed interest by clothes designers and jewellers. They are supplied in small bundles from a good haberdashery, notions store or ribbon emporium, or order them online.

Materials

• 2 small sterling silver crimp tubes, 1⁄16in (1.3mm).
• 1 yard (1m) tiger tail beading wire to run through the garland.
• Bag of green seed beads, in size 8, approximately 1⁄8in (3mm) in diameter.
• 7 viola felt flowers, approximately 11⁄4in (3cm) in diameter.
• 7 mauve felt daisies, roughly 1in (2.5cm) in diameter.
• Flat-nosed pliers.
• Scissors.
• Extra materials for earrings or bracelets.

1. Attach a crimp tube at one end of the tiger tail. Thread on approximately five green seed beads then stop.

2. Next, thread on one of the felt flowers (either is fine), followed by approximately 20 more small green seed beads.

3. Thread on a different shaped flower and thread on a further 20 or so seed beads following that.

4. When 14 flowers have been threaded, add 10 beads after the last flower. Cut off the crimp tube. Bring the two ends of the tiger tail together through the new crimp tube and pull tight (but allow the beads room to move or the necklace will not hang well). Press to secure with the pliers. Cut off the excess, leaving a small length to hide inside the beads.

This article was first published in at home with Lorraine Kelly in April 2012. [Read the digital edition here]