It's almost time for another session of Bling Bling jewelry classes, so I've been thinking about what projects I think the kids would like to learn. I've found a bunch of cool fabric jewelry ideas that I think we're going to try, and not just because my supply budget was cut. I want to encourage the students to recycle and refashion their old stuff and thrift store finds, so I'll be taking in stacks of old jeans, vintage t-shirts, and scraps of fabric to see what they come up with.
Here's a round-up of fabric jewelry tutorials on the web:
There's a lot of potential with this idea: use fabric that matches your favorite outfits or go for a monochromatic look. I like the way fabric and metal blend in this necklace, and I think it's easy enough for my middle school students to master. Definitely on my list of projects to try this month.
I'm actually not sure if I even like the look of these, but maybe in a different fabric, these could be cool. Also, this might be great adorned with rhinestones, since the kids love those. I'll have to try making them to decide if my students would have the patience to try 'em. They don't look all that different, but the author says a few times how time consuming they are, so we'll see.
I think these are super cute, but I don't know if the kids would be into them or not. I thought the cupcake necklaces would be a huge success, but I'd say they were 50/50 on whether or not they liked them. Of course, most of the kids want to make gold chains and diamond bling, so it's not exactly the style they like. However... a rhinestone or two might change everything!
With the right choice of fabrics and paints, these could be a good project. I think we'd make a long necklace out of these instead of bracelets, since I think that style would be good, since a lot of the kids are rockin' an 80s vibe these days. Seriously, am I doomed to forever be in junior high? Haha!
I love the look on these necklaces, but I'm not sure that the sewing technique is going to work with the kids. However, I think if we used recycled t-shirts (i.e. jersey), we could do the knots from the other tutorials. And sewing the fabric flowers might work okay, but the kids did a great job with the felt flower headbands we made last term. As long as it's an "instant gratification" type project, they'll love it. And the flowers are super cute, so I bet it will be a good project. I'll be making samples soon.
I like the idea of a bib necklace from fabric flowers, and I have a bit of leftover wool felt from last session. I'd definitely leave out the lace, but I like the fact that the students could completely personalize the necklace to suit their style by choosing colors that work for them. I have a huge box of scrap fabric that I couldn't bear to throw away or recycle, so I know I have lots of options.
I like this design better, but it's a little advanced. I know some of the students would dig it, others wouldn't want to take the time to add all the details. Still, I love that it incorporates beads and buttons!
I kinda like the flower technique in this tutorial, though we will not be burning any edges in class, haha! Though that makes me wonder if we could dye the edges using a stamp pad or paint, so will have to try it! Love that the author saw a necklace she liked and didn't want to pay for so made her own. That's the ingenuity I'd love to inspire in my students!
I think this would look cute with some beads sewn in the middle or maybe some rhinestones, cuz the kids love those. Color choice would definitely influence the style factor of the design, too.
I love this, but don't know if it would be a good student project. It would be cool to offer up as an "advanced" project though.
