Make Your Own Necklace with Scarf Material

I am a hardcore scarf person; once the weather cools down, a long flowy number becomes my best friend and go-to accessory. And while I love a vintage scarf, they are often damaged and flawed, making them perfect for upcycling projects. So, I decided to make a chunky necklace with the scarf material from this pretty floral scarf that I recently found.

Even though it had some stains in a couple of the corners, it was too pretty to pass up. I knew I had to repurpose it somehow by salvaging the good parts. 

You may recall that I’m fond of doing this- reworking a vintage scarf into something else completely, like these aromatherapy eye pillows.

Anyway, I picked up some large wooden beads to make a chunky necklace with the scarf material.

I had a vision in my mind for a statement necklace that combined the scarf material with the wooden beads. And I was ready to see if I could make it come to life!

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Upcycling the Scarf Material into a Chunky Necklace

First things first, I cut out a long strip of scarf material diagonally across the vintage scarf. I avoided the stained areas and cut from corner to corner, yielding a long strip of material that was approximately 3″ wide.

After ironing the scarf material, I folded it in half lengthwise, good sides together, and stitched it into a tube, leaving each end open.

I stitched it by hand, but my sewing machine would have done a quicker job.

Once the fabric tube was turned right-side-out, I slipped one wood bead into the center of the tube and tied knots on each side. I tied them as close to the bead as possible to secure it in place.

One of the main benefits of using this particular scarf was the small print or design. That made it ideal for upcycling into a DIY necklace, as the design didn’t get lost in a smaller accessory.

Then, it was just a matter of doing this over and over again, using as many of the wooden beads as I liked!

Make Your Own Necklace with Scarf Material

I did a few more and contemplated stopping there.

The most tedious part was stitching the scarf material together to form the tube. But like I mentioned earlier, a sewing machine would have made that step a breeze!

But this is still a super simple project and a great way to breathe new life into a vintage scarf that has seen better days.

A few parting thoughts if you plan on making your own chunky necklace with scarf material:

• The wooden beads are heavier than I would have liked. I highly suggest seeking out plastic beads or even foam balls (like these, maybe?) to make it more lightweight.
• Definitely look for scarves with dainty print or designs. It just translates better as a necklace if the motif is on the smaller side.
• Scarves with a dainty print AND a design in the very center of the scarf work the best. Since you cut diagonally across the scarf, you can capture that center design as your focal bead. 

If you enjoyed this upcycling idea for a DIY necklace, then you may also enjoy these repurposing ideas for other upcycled jewelry!

Craft on!

S

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