The Un-crafty Crafter - DIY Bird's Nest Necklace

I am not what one would call 'crafty.'  I can't draw, I don't scrapbook and so far, I'm entirely too uptight to knit.  I've tried a few different times and actually broke the knitting needles because I was knitting the stitches so tight.

Even so, several months ago a came across a Pinterest pin for a DIY tutorial on making bird's nest necklaces.  I thought they were pretty cute and figured there wasn't much risk involved with trying to release my inner crafter, so why not?  The tutorial is located here:  http://www.sarahortega.com/2011/05/diy-bird-nest-necklace.html and even for the craft impaired, it's pretty easy to follow.

This is the picture that caught my eye on Pinterest:

Cute, right?  I picked up all the supplies for less than $20 at Michael's including beads, jewelry wire, necklace chain, jump rings and clasps.  I was starting from ground zero, I've never made any jewelry before, so I didn't have anything to start with.  I also got a jewelry tool kit that was on clearance for about $10, but really, you can do this with tools from a regular toolbox.  Some needle nose pliers and wire cutters should do ya just fine.

You're dying to see my finished product, right?

I think it looks pretty good, if I do say so myself.  I swear, there really is nothing to this.  String some beads on your wire, wrap until it looks how you want it, wrap a few loops around the 'nest', attach some jump rings and a clasp, done.

I will say that wrapping the wire feels awkward at first and because I used perfectly round and smooth beads, they were kind of slippery, so you have to be careful that the wire doesn't slip off.  It also starts off feeling kind of loose, but it tightens up the more you wrap and then tightens even more when you do the loops around the nest at the end.

I've made two of these so far and given them as gifts, with rave reviews each time.  I have to say, there is something very satisfying in giving a gift to someone that you actually made for them with your own two hands.  It feels more personal, maybe? (It was also pretty nice that a few people who saw them thought they looked good enough to have bought in a store.)

So, even if you're the non-crafty sort like me, you can make this necklace with few materials and a little patience.  As I mentioned, the supplies were pretty inexpensive and even after making two necklaces so far, I have enough supplies left to make at least 2 or 3 more.  Give it a try!

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