Lately it seems all the buzz is about fancy collars and crazy cool necklaces that look like collars and ties. (At least in my world, that is!) Over the holidays, I was eyeing this glitzy gold necktie styled necklace, decided to check out vintage options online, and found that I couldn’t stop thinking about wearing a kitschy necktie necklace made of pearls. And why buy one when I can make one for very little money, and get that satisfaction from saying, “Why, yes! I did make it myself!” I can’t wait to plan an entire outfit around this crazy cool necklace! Oh, the possibilities.

• scissors
• nylon monofilament
• 5mm faux pearl beads
• jewelry clasp

Trim the filament to about 3 feet length and begin by knotting it on 1 bead. Don’t trim the end of the filament yet, though (see my tip at the end for this). Now string 5 more beads onto the filament, and making a circle, thread the filament back through the first bead and then the next 3 beads in the circle. Now add 5 more beads to the line, and repeat the previous circle’s action of threading through the first and next 3 beads of the circle you just made. Repeat this so that you have made 28 circles, creating a long strand (as shown above on the left).

Begin the next row on the bead left of center on your last circle (as shown above right). This will make your rows staggered as they continue. Start this row by adding 4 beads to the filament, and then thread the filament through the adjacent circle’s (on the first row) second bead, then back through the bead you started on, and then back through the circle you just made, except for the last bead. This process can be confusing at first, so look closely at these images for guidance, and if in doubt, always thread the filament back through a circle you just made, looking for the appropriate place to stop and begin your next loop. After you make the first circle on the second row, only add 3 beads to the filament for subsequent circles, instead of 4 beads. When you finish the row, start the next row the same way by adding 4 beads for the first circle, and only 3 for the subsequent ones. When you’ve finished 3 rows total (including the first), go back to the first row you made, and add two more to the other side of it, making sure to stagger the rows so that you have a point at the end, as shown below left.

After you’ve finished the dangling portion of the tie, you can begin a new pattern for the “knot.” Begin the first row by knotting the filament on the first bead, and stringing the filament through that bead and 3 more beads, circling back through the first bead and following 2 beads. Now add 3 more beads to the filament, circling back through the last bead of the last loop you made, and then the next 2 beads that you just strung on repeat so that you have 8 loops. On the last loop, instead of only circling through the first 2 beads that you just strung, thread through all 3 of them.

To begin the next row, add 3 beads to the filament and then thread the filament back through the last bead on the previous row (where you left off) and then the first bead on the loop you just made. Now add only 2 beads to the filament, thread the filament through the bead sticking out from the second loop on the previous row, through the last bead on the last loop you made, then then through the two beads you just strung on. Repeat this until you’ve read the end of the row, begin your next row the same way you began this one, starting with adding three beads, then only two per loop. Make 7 rows total.

The last steps are the easiest. Lay the “knot” part (what you just made) over top of the dangling part and using filament, loop through the beads of the knot and dangling portions to connect them. I connect them on their second rows, so there is some overhang. After they are connected  loop filament through the corner beads at the bottom of the knot part, and pull it tight so that the tie is cinched. Then go up a row, loop through one side’s edge bead, add two beads to the filament, and loop it through the opposite side’s edge bead, just like lacing a pair of shoes. The next row at one bead, so that there are three, loop through the other side, then add 4, then 5, adding 1 bead each time you start a new row. When you get to the top, tie it off. Then you need to connect filament to the top edges and string 36 to 40 beads on the filament and connect to the clasp at the end. Do this on each side, and the necklace is complete!

Here’s a Tip: As you go along, don’t work with too long of a filament or you’ll end up in knots! Keep the length to no longer than 3 feet, and when you have to stop, tie off the filament, tuck the end through several beads, and then trim off the excess. Always double knot, and make sure your knots are tight!