Crafting: Anthro Style Rope Necklace

The first thing I thought when I saw the Curls & Coils Necklace at Anthropologie was, ooo cute! Then the next thing I thought was, I can totally make that. But more importantly, I can totally make that for 1/8 of the $42 price tag.



The original design (shown left) was also a little large for my liking, so I was excited to modify the concept to my daintier and more structured tastes. And while I love the nautical fashion style, I have yet to really jump in, so this piece felt like the perfect place to start.

At first glance, the necklace looks to be made of rope, but upon inspection I realized it's actually made of soft cotton piping cord used for upholstery, which is much more pleasant on your skin than rope would be anyways!

A few basic materials and less than an hour of time are all you need to create your own Curls & Coils Necklace.



What you'll need:
Cotton Upholstery Cording (1.5 - 3 yards depending on how long & loopy you want it)
Transparent Nylon Thread
Buttons or beads for embellishment
End caps/cones
Craft glue
Wire or head pins and a clasp

While I used the same raw cotton style cording as the original necklace, you can find many sizes, colors and materials that would work equally as well. I especially love the satin cording and picked up some in a lovely mustard yellow that I think will be just awesome! I purchased all my materials at JoAnn Fabrics.



Begin by approximating your loop pattern and determining how much cording you will need. For reference, I used a 1.5 yard piece and had about 4" left on either end when I was done. Better too long than too short!

Be sure to leave a long enough tail before you start sewing your coils. Starting and ending on the back of the necklace, begin tacking your loops in place with a few stitches. It doesn't take much to hold it together and if you place the stitches in the 'grooves', you can't see them at all.



Next, decide on an arrangement for your embellishments and stitch them in place. I wanted mine a little less 'blingy' than the original so I used a plastic rose shaped button along with a simple gold metal one and one with a small rhinestone.

Once you finish sewing the loops and embellishments, determine the length you'd like the necklace and trim the ends about an inch shorter to account for the length the clasp will add.



To finish the ends, I used brass cones that I also found at JoAnn Fabrics. Using a ball end head pin or a piece of wire, fashion a loop on both cones for attaching the clasp.

Apply a few dabs of craft glue to the end of the cording and begin twisting into a point. Warning - this will make your fingers messy! Allow the glue to begin drying a bit and then continue shaping. You can also twist the cone onto the end to help shape it. Once you have a good point, apply a little more glue then twist the cap on, getting all loose ends tucked up underneath.

Add your clasp and voila!

Liven up a simple cardigan or sun dress or accent a nautical striped tank top. Soft and lightweight, this necklace is the perfect year-round statement piece!

You can also apply this idea to other accessories such as a bracelet or belt - get creative! I'd love to hear if you try your hand at this project and how it turns out. Happy crafting!