Beaded ZIP TIE Statement Necklace!

hello!

With this Instructable I will show you how to make a rad statement necklace out of essentially beads, zip ties, and cross stitch plastic material!!!

So far people who have seen it think its crazy or they love it but either way it is definitely noteworthy!

hope you like it! please post pics in the comments if you make one :)

E

Step 1: Gather Materials

1) a plastic cross stitch sheet (8.5x11 inches (I think) and about 60 cents at Michaels if I remember correctly and it comes in a few different colors!)

2) zip ties in various colors. I used 4 inch zip ties from a canister of neon colored zip ties that included both 4 inch and 11 inch zip ties. I only used the smaller ones because they are more narrow than the larger ones so they can go through the cross stitch material without having to alter it.

3) beads with holes of a size that can allow your zip ties to go through them

4) premade cord necklace (2 piece one). you can do a chain to hang it around your neck but i liked how the rope was blue and matched necklace. Choosing the blue premade necklace also keeps the project not cluttered (with silver chain and findings I would have silver metal, natural wood and synthetic neon plastic in my necklace. I wanted to keep it more simple so easier on the eye).

5) scissors

6) needle nose or flat nose pliers

Step 2: Cut Bottom Shape of Necklace

use your scissors to cut the shape you want the bottom of your necklace to be.

You can cut out the whole shape if you want but I did not cut it out until all the zip ties and beads were on there because then when I cut it out, I wasn't cutting into the extra material in a place that could possibly interfere with a future project.

Step 3: Zip Tie Your First Layer

start at bottom and put zip ties on the bottom row. Be sure to be consistent with the spacing.

I didn't skip spaces for the first line of zip ties and I tied them so the zip ties turned up (ties circled with blue circle are the ones that were done correctly.

Step 4: Layer 2 of Zip Ties

for this layer, I skipped a space (for a another color to be put there in the future)

From the pink zip ties, I skipped a few spaces vertically. I skipped 2 spaces completely then put the end of a zip tie and thread it through the space above the space you just placed the zip tie into and back through the other end of the zip tie and pull the zip tie closed. Do not close it very tightly. I made this row looser than the row below it.

Step 5: Second Row: the Other Color Now!

repeat the last step for the other color you want to use for the second row!

Step 6: Zip Tie Your Beads Onto the Necklace and Extras!

Zip tie beads:

-use your zip ties to attach your beads to your necklace.

-Consider how many different color/sized beads you have and what pattern you can make. If you haven't cut your shape yet you have a lot of flexibility of what size the necklace will end up being!

-I used a color of zip tie I hadn't used on the necklace yet (blue)

- I attached the spherical beads onto the necklace along the fringe at the bottom.I didnt cut the tails of the zip ties because I liked how it draped into the zip tie fringe.

-I made my oval shaped wood beads go mostly vertically on the necklace. I tried to fit the beads in with the first row of beads to minimize spaces that would allow you to see the cross stitch mesh. For the shape I wanted, I needed to place 2 oval beads sideways to minimize gaps.

-cut any zip tie tails youd like!

extras:

-feel free to accent/boarder any of the necklace with "zip tie lines" aka zip tie loops that span multiple spaces.

Step 7: Cut Out Necklace

Use scissors to cut out your necklace (I cant find the picture I took of this step). I left a small boarder between end of necklace and the zip tie line boarder I created because I liked the idea of seeing what material its on (and also the mesh like material is cool to me).

Step 8: Turn It Into a Necklace

Use pliers to open jump rings on the necklace pieces and attach one to each side of the zip tie necklace. Make sure you close the jump rings completely.

Step 9: TAAAADAHHHHHH!

Your Beaded Zip Tie Statement Necklace is now complete!

now grab a pen and paper and go rock your new necklace in public. Why the pen and paper you ask? Just so you can tally the number of heads you make turn with the necklace :)

Hope you enjoyed this instructable! Please hit the "Vote" button at the top of the Instructable if you did!

best,

Elana