Pretty Clay Bunting and Braided Chain Necklace

If you’ve been hanging around here a while, you know that I love all things vintage and floral and bunting. It’s a wee little obsession. So I’ve been wanting to make a “bunting” type necklace for some time, I just wasn’t sure how I wanted to do it. I finally found a fun way to do it though, and I made up this new Pretty Clay Bunting and Braided Chain Necklace – made with Premo Clay!

I have been wanting to try out jewelry making with clay for quite a while, but I will be honest, I was a little intimidated. It was so much easier – and more fun! – than I thought it would be!

These little clay scallops were super easy to make and their bright colors went perfectly with the fabric I wanted to use. I think they make such a fun necklace for Spring and Summer, don’t you?

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own!

• Premo Clay assortment pack
• clay cutting tools, or something similar you can use to cut out the clay
• sharp pointer and soft item to roll out clay and to pierce holes
• 14 large jump rings
• 18″ large open chain
• 3 – 1″ strips of fabric, 1 yard long each
• lobster closure and jump rings for necklace

These clay scallops were so much easier to make than I was expecting. Here’s how:

1. Tear off a small piece of clay, a little larger than the piece you will cut out. Flatten the clay into a circle.
2. Use the cutting tool to cut out a circle that is about 1″ in diameter.
3. Fold circle in half and press the edges together lightly. Run your finger over the edge to smooth the cut edges.
4. Use a small flat tipped tool (this jewelry tool works great, but you can use anything that is rounded to roll out the clay) and roll across the top of the clay to flatten it.
5. Leave a little ridge along the top edge so it looks like a little folded bunting piece.
6. Pierce the scallop from front to back with a sharp tool or a large needle. Make sure the hole goes all the way through and isn’t too close to the edge of the scallop.
7. Repeat so there is a hole in both sides of the scallop.

Repeat with the other colors of the bunting pieces – making sure they are all as close as you can get to the same size and shape.

Bake according to the instructions on the box. The pieces will lose a little of their gloss but not any of the brightness of the colors. They should maintain the same size and shape as well.

If you have any rough edges or bumpy spots you didn’t notice before you baked them, you can sand the pieces very lightly with a fine wet/dry sandpaper. If the pieces are a little dusty after the sanding, just lightly clean them off with a damp paper towel.

While your pieces are baking, you can work on your necklace chain.

Knot your three pieces of fabric at the top and begin braiding them together loosely.

Thread the braid through your chain so it goes over and under alternating links. Overlap the braid around the last link on each side and fold the braid to the back of the necklace. Tuck the raw edges under and sew down, again on the back side of the necklace.

Open up your large jump rings and feed one through one of the holes in your little scallop. Place the jump ring around the center link of the chain and close the ring. Repeat for the other side of the scallop.

Continue adding scallops on each side until they are all added to the necklace chain.

Finish off your necklace by adding a lobster closure and large jump ring to the top links in your chain.

That finishes off your necklace!

I love trying new materials, especially when they are so much easier and more fun to use than I was expecting! I think I’ve got the “clay” bug now – I can’t wait to make up some more jewelry projects. I have already started on a simple bracelet that I can’t wait to show you!

If you want to check out more Premo Clay inspiration – you can find them here:

• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PolyformProducts
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/SculpeyPolyform or @SculpeyPolyform
• Pinterest:http://www.pinterest.com/sculpey/
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/sculpey_polyform or @Sculpey_Polyform

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for Premo Clay and Blueprint Social. All opinions are my own! :)

Here are some other sweet clay projects – check them out!