Welcome once again to ScrapHappy Day!
It’s the day my friend Gun in Sweden and I host ScrapHappy, a day for showing something made from scraps.
This month, it’s something completely different. A while ago, I offered to test a tutorial written by the lovely Jill of Nice Piece of Work. She had created a really gorgeous necklace from fabric scraps and beads, and being the clever thing she is, realised it would be a popular, inexpensive and pretty easy thing for other people to make, hence the tutorial. Reader, I made it!
And it’s easy peasy and produces a really fab result which is going to be a Christmas present (you know who you are, you’ll just have to be patient!). I fiddled with things a bit: I made the necklace a bit longer. I made the beads a bit larger, and more of them. But it still worked just fine, because the idea is genius enough to permit that kind of tinkering and messing about. Also, every single piece of it is either a scrap or has been recycled from a previous item. Even the threads are leftovers. Just goes to show, scrappy can be not only fun and quirky but also lavishly gorgeous!
If you’re interested in making one yourself, head over to Jill’s Etsy shop where she is offering this tutorial as a pdf.
ScrapHappy is open to anyone using up scraps of anything – no new materials. It can be a quilt block, pincushion, bag or hat, socks or a sculpture. Anything made of genuine scraps is eligible. If your scrap collection is out of control and you’d like to turn them into something beautiful or useful instead of leaving them to collect dust in the cupboard, why not join us on the 15th of each month? Either email me at the address on my Contact Me page, or leave a comment below. You can also contact Gun via her blog to join. We welcome new members. You don’t have to worry about making a long term commitment or even join in every month, just let either of us know a day or so in advance if you’re new and you’ll have something to show, so we can add your link. Regular contributors will receive an email reminder three days before the event.
Here are the links for everyone who joins ScrapHappy from time to time (they may not post every time, but their blogs are still worth looking at). Please note that Esther has a large ongoing project at present and needs all her time for this, so she has withdrawn from ScrapHappy for the time being.
Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynn, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Tracy, Jill,
Claire, Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,
Claire, Jean, Jon, Dawn, Jule, Gwen,
Bekki, Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera,
Nanette, Ann, Dawn 2, Bear, Carol,
Preeti, Edith, Debbierose
See you next time for more scrappy loveliness.
talltalesfromchiconia 
Love it 😍
Goodoh! Well, it’s on its way to you!
Aw, aren’t you the kind one?! Your version is so stunning, I really hope your friend loves it. What appeals to me – and I’m not biased of course – is (a) that the possibilities are endless and (b) no scrap or leftover ever needs to go unused again!
Thank you again, for being so helpful and so inventive. xx
You’re so right! Even the long band could easily be made up of small strips of fabric pieced together. And I guess your straw beads would work well between the balls, too.
*thumbs up
Those colours are so vibrant. I think I’d better pop over to etsy and support Jill’s business…
She makes some really gorgeous stuff, and I think her tutorials are very well written and easy to understand. Plus, of course, she uses scraps so beautifully!
This looks lovely and so very ‘you’.
It is very ‘me’, but it’s going to my friend, because it’s even more ‘her’!
This is very glamourous, what a fabulous scrappy item. It’s even worthy of some of the Good stuff which one saves.
You’re quite right, it’s a perfect way to hang onto and use those last small pieces of the Good Stuff. Like those bits of purple silk, which if truth be told, are very sun-faded on the inside of the fabric!
Nice one Kate !What you can do with a few pieces of fabric !! Chapeau !
Merci, madame!
Gorgeous necklace, lovely fabrics used
It’s all about choosing the combinations… Another time, I might make one where the colours are all totally co-ordinated, and see how that looks.
these look lots of fun ^^
They are, and very easy too, once you know how. The most fiddly part was attaching everything to the silk strip at the back, but it turned out well.
Zing!!! I love it, and love the idea! How much scrappier could it get!?
Not at all, since every single piece was either scrap or salvage!
Lovely. Reminds me of the ones my Granny used to make. She was allergic to metals, so made all her jewelry out of cloth, thread, yarn, etc. Her ‘beaded’ necklaces were always big hits. mine has long since worn out from use. I really should make a new one. So many ideas, so little time to do them all. LOL! 🙂 Merry Christmas! Bear
I think you should, it would be a great tribute to her, and a way to remember her at Christmas.
[…] December 15, or in Kate’s speak, time to gather lingering scraps and give them a new […]
I have been eyeing Jill’s posts and thinking about making some beads – yours are gorgeous so maybe over Christmas….
I think you’d enjoy this process a lot. I actually found it rather hard to *stop* making the beads, which is why my necklace is a lot longer than hers! If you have one of those yoyo makers (https://www.clover-mfg.com/product/12/76) it gets really fast!
I don’t have a yo-yo maker but will look at Jill’s tutorial once all my Christmas presents are made!
It’s perfectly possible without, just quicker with!
wild and wonderful, perfect for the season. Lucky friend, a great use of small scraps.
I like these big beads, but I want to try smaller ones as well – and I think some even larger ones to make a decorative garland. Hmmmm… worryingly addictive, then!
brilliant. I’m so glad she created the tutorial.
Me too, or I’d never have made this, and I’m really pleased with it!
Love it!!!!! It´s a perfect way to use up scraps!
It is, isn’t it? You can’t use really tiny scraps for the beads, but you could piece them for the neck band at the back.
Wow! You’ve created a lovely piece of jewelry, Kate, and how nice of you to test the tutorial. That is really something.
I like the testing process, and her tutorial was very clearly and well written, so it was a pleasure to work from. In fact, I’m already planning a necklace to keep for myself instead of giving away, like that first one…
Beautiful work in so many ways… supporting a fellow creative, wonderful craftsmanship and style using materials at hand… an impressive statement piece with nice detail… and a well-chosen recipient.
I’d originally intended it as a test piece, but it came out so well and so clearly evolved into Chippy colours as I went along that giving it away was a no-brainer! I have my own version planned, of course.
That looks like it would make for a fun holiday decoration to boot! A bauble garland if you will. 😁 (Has someone already said so? I haven’t read the other comments yet.)
No one has suggested a garland (a great idea!), but I said I might make some for my Christmas tree hanging if I still need more decorations after I’ve hung my yoyos.
Love it! Great use of scraps
Glad you like it! Quick, easy and fun, a perfect combination!
Kate, looks stunning
(as you can see, behind again – but I have had a terrible month with finding out that 18 months ago another GP made a mistake which has only surfaced through have an understanding newer GP….on a tough road to more balance…)
I have a great deal of sympathy with your situation, having had a false diagnosis 12 years ago that resulted in a lot of expense, discomfort and inconvenience for all those years. I hope things resolve soon.