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"During this special time of year, a DIY project can not only yield a thoughtful gift, but can be a great opportunity to gather your friends and family together for a fun "crafternoon." By Madeline Trait of By Madeline Trait PHOTOGRAPHY BY: LISA ANDERSON SHAFFER With our love of vibrant prints, a similar design aesthetic, and lots of laughter leading the way, we created this fun DIY statement necklace that you can do in just 90 minutes. Give it a try and you will be looking like a fashion-forward femme fatale in no time. PHOTOGRAPHY BY: LISA ANDERSON SHAFFER MATERIALS :   90 minutes At least 1 yard of fabric Scissors Iron Wood beads -- we used 1-inch and 3/4-inch beads but you can choose any size you like Embroidery thread Sewing needle  PHOTOGRAPHY BY: LISA ANDERSON SHAFFER STEP 1: Cut your fabric into strips. For 1-inch beads the fabric needs to be 2.5 inches wide. For the 3/4-inch beads the fabric needs to be 2 inches wide. All strips s...

by Erica in D.I.Y. A couple of months ago, while visiting New York, we met the lovely Gretchen Jones and were fortunate enough to spend an entire day crafting in her über charming Brooklyn apartment. Not only is she amazingly talented and fascinatingly storied, Gretchen is one of the most humorous and genuine people we’ve gotten to know. After raiding a local hardware store for supplies and hardware, we spread out over her workspace, and whipped up several pieces of jewelry while sharing anecdotes. One of our favorite pieces was a necklace inspired by the honeycomb Universe necklace from Gretchen’s collection. With some brass rings, neon cording and a clever trick courtesy of Ms. Jones, this bold statement necklace is a cinch to DIY! (PS scroll down for the giveaway details!)     You’ll need:    various sized brass rings    neon nylon mason line cord    scissors    lighter      Start by laying out a...

By Janet Crowther of (For the Makers) Contributor This St. Patrick's Day, skip the same old green T-shirt and make a real statement -- a statement necklace, actually. It's perfect for St. Patrick's Day (or any day) and only takes a few easy-to-find materials. Avoid a couple pinches this St. Patrick's Day by making this shamrock pattern necklace in the perfect shade of green. Master a few key techniques below and you'll be making statement jewelry in no time -- all the time! Materials: 20 headpins 13 (10x12mm) faceted glass teardrop beads round-nose pliers wire cutters 7 (16x12mm) faceted glass rectangle beads chain-nose pliers 20 small jump rings 2 large jump rings 21" curb chain cut into 5 sections: two sections of 2", two sections of 4.75", and one section of 7.5" lobster clasp