Here is a quick and easy neck ring to put together from binder clips! This is a project from the book Junk Jewelry by Jane Eldershaw (see the references below for a link to my book review and purchase information).[1] (COPYRIGHT: I'm so sorry to have to put this here, but I've had trouble with online content theft. Readers are welcome to print my articles for their personal use, but I do not allow my text or photos to be copied to anyone's online site. No one may use my content without written permission from me.)
The book says to use about 20 binder clips, but I found that put too much of a stretch on the cord with me trying to wrestle the neck ring on over my humungous head. When I added four more clips, the cord didn't have to stretch quite as much and yet the necklace still looked short enough to be striking. This is a great project for kids because it's fast, easy, inexpensive, and the results are nice-looking.
Time of Project: Thirty minutes or less
Technical knowledge: Nothing
Supplies:- about 24 small binder clips (the smallest I could find were 18 mm in length, but the book swears you can get 13 mm ones). Use basic black for a Goth, industrial look, or go with bright metallics as I did, or pastels.
- stretchy, transparent, elastic cord (I used something called Stretch Magic at 1mm diameter)
Step 1. Remove handles from binder clips. Take off those steel, loop-type handles from the clips by pinching the sides of the loop inwards towards each other and working them out of the little tunnel-type holders at the top of each clip.
Step 2. Thread your clips on your cord. Take out your reel of stretchy elastic cord and start threading your clips on the cord, passing the cord through the little tunnel-type holders at the top of each clip where your handles used to be. Cut the cord free from the reel when you have all your clips in place and can see how much cord you need. Leave about 1.5 inch extra cord on each end of your neck ring for tying the knot.
Step 3. Knot the cord. Stretch the ends out a little and tie a square knot. Stretching the thread out a little when you do this will make it contract once you release it, and the knot will be hidden under your first and last binder clips. Trim excess cord back to the knot. And that's it. Yay! You're done.
The clips will have a tendency to flip in different directions when you pull the neck ring on over your head, so you may have to adjust it a little each time you put it on, and turn all your clips to face the same way (usually inward towards your neck.
References:
1. Junk Jewelry by Jane Eldershaw, ISBN 0307405176, copyright 2008 by Potter Craft, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc. p. 48
