Make a Button Choker

March 9th, 2009 in jewelry making

Jennifer Worick, contributor

4 users recommend

This feminine choker takes only a few minutes to make.

Just a few shell buckles and ribbon are all you need for a charming choker.

String a ribbon roughly the width of the buckles slot.

This feminine choker takes only a few minutes to make.

Photo: Jennifer Worick

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At the recent Sewing & Stitchery Expo, I fell under the spell of a whole passel of buttons and notions. At the Nifty Thrifty Dry Goods booth, I rifled through a bucket full of different-shaped abalone buckles (which I figure are kissing cousins to buttons) and wondered how best I could showcase them. In a fit of less-is-more inspiration, I decided to showcase a few of the buckles on a complementary ribbon. I love chokers—this sweet one works with a variety of necklines and makes me feel a bit like a barmaid in a Toulouse-Lautrec painting.

This feminine choker takes only a few minutes to make.

You’ll need:

Several shell buckles
1 yard of 3/4-inch ribbon

Just a few shell buckles and ribbon are all you need for a charming choker.

Step 1: Feed each buckle through the ribbon and check that the ribbon is thick enough and wide enough to keep each buckle from slipping and moving. If it slides up and down the ribbon like a bead on an abacus, swap out the ribbon for something heftier and wider (such as a velvet).

String a ribbon roughly the width of the buckle's slot.

Step 2: Once you have the appropriate ribbon, slip a small buckle onto the ribbon, feeding the ribbon up through one hole and back down through the other. For the center piece, the slots on my larger buckle were a bit too big, so I decided to double up on the buckles to keep the ribbon in place. Thread the ribbon through the left holes on a large and small buckle and then back down through the right holes. Add another small buckle to the ribbon in the same manner.

For added texture, string your ribbon through two different-sized buckles, as long as they aren't too heavy.

Step 3: Tweak the positions of the buckles by holding it up to your neck. I like tying the ribbon in a bow on the front side, so I positioned the buckles off center of the ribbon, leaving about an inch between buckles. Tie the ends in a sweet bow, making sure the choker isn’t, well, choking you. Prepare to be admired.

In the future, you can find me at my website or blogs, Things I Want to Punch in the Face and Prairie Tales. My new book, Backcountry Betty: Crafting with Style, is in stores now.

Space out the buckles about an inch apart on the ribbon.

I tied the ribbon in a bow near the buckles so that it would show and be part of the overall design.

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posted in: jewelry making, buttons, Jewelry, necklace, buckles, choker

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Comments (8)

luluzinha writes: simple and sexy nice!!!!
Posted: 6:26 am on April 30th

kandiodesigns writes: I wear chokers all the time, what a great idea, beautiful!
Posted: 1:46 pm on April 19th

Miba writes: That's a great idea. And I love your nail polish, btw!
Posted: 8:23 pm on March 9th

Eternal_Clouds writes: thats soo cool i love the idea of it i might just try that
Posted: 4:38 pm on March 9th

susanstars writes: so pretty, Jennifer!
Posted: 3:54 pm on March 9th

Sister_Diane writes: OMG! I've had a set of little buckles like this in leather for a while now, but haven't figured out anything to do with them. I love this idea! Thank you!
Posted: 3:03 pm on March 9th