DIY Braided Rope Necklace

This was one of those projects that I had in the works and mid-way through, the tutorial popped up on another blog! I feel like that happens often in the blog world — it’s a tricky situation, because you never want to feel like you’re stepping on someone else’s toes. And in the opposite situation, where someone re-does one of your projects, you don’t want to feel like other people are copying your tutorials. But the bottom line is that great minds think alike, and the same things are made over and over on DIY blogs. It’s all about putting your own spin on things and knowing in your heart that you aren’t copying. In this case, the girls over at A Beautiful Mess made an awesome version of this necklace, but it’s slightly different than the process for mine, so I’m going ahead with it. There now, see? Everybody’s happy.

Anyway! I love this necklace. It’s my new favorite thing, and it kind of makes me feel all nautical and like I should be summering on a yacht somewhere. Or at least in the Hamptons. But I digress. Here’s what you’ll need!

Materials

• cotton rope trim
• 2 bushings (mine were copper but I spray painted them gold)
• necklace chain
• necklace clasp
• jump rings
• needle nose pliers
• strong glue
• scissors
• tape

Make Time: 30 minutes

Cut 6 pieces of rope trim, 10″ each. Tape down the ends. Make three groups of two strands each and braid together. When your braid is about 7-8″ long, wrap tape tightly around both ends.

Trim the taped ends to about 1/2″ in length. Unwrap one end. Thread a jump ring through one of the ropes and apply some glue to the rope so that it doesn’t unravel. Attach 7″ of chain. Re-wrap the ropes in the tape tightly. Repeat on the other side.

On the open ends of the chain, attach a jump ring on one side and a necklace clasp on the other.

Apply glue to the inside of the bushing and carefully string it onto one end of the necklace. Secure the taped end inside, hiding the tape and being sure that the bushing is firmly glued in place. Repeat on the other side.

Now go get on your yacht and tell someone you bought your new necklace at an insanely expensive store. Because it kind of looks like it. I love this thing! xoxo