Crazy Quilt Ping Pong Ball Necklace
By Jennifer Perkins
I have always had a soft spot for crazy quilts, rainbows, and the wardrobe of Punky Brewster. That being the case, I often find myself making larger-than-life jewelry with a hodgepodge effect. The Crazy Quilt Ping Pong Ball Necklace is no exception. Swimming in a fashion sea of subtle charms and chains, a girl like me is often forced to comb the aisles of the sporting goods store and take matters into her own hands.
Materials
7 ping pong balls
Aleene’s Collage Pauge Instant Decoupage
Wax paper
Dremel drill
Beadalon bead-stringing wire
6 large wooden beads
26 small wooden beads
26 small wooden spacer beads
Hook and eye clasp
4 crimp beads
Flat-nosed pliers
Wire clippers
Scissors
Fabric scraps
Directions:
Step 1: Gather your supplies. If you are like me and obsessively save even the smallest of fabric scraps, this is the project for you. Using your scissors, cut up your scraps into even smaller scraps and separate by color. I went for a rainbow effect, but feel free to mix and match colors on each ball. Ping pong balls can be found at your local sporting goods store. They make a great lightweight jumbo bead.
Step 2: Decoupage your balls. Lay down some wax paper to protect your work area and squirt out a small pile of Collage Pauge. Using a sponge brush or your finger, adhere your small fabric scraps to your balls in a random pattern, making sure to cover the entire thing and not layer any one area too heavily. Allow the balls to dry completely.
Step 3: Once the balls have dried, using your Dremel, drill small holes in the top and bottom of the balls, converting them into beads. String your new crazy quilt beads and wooden beads onto your Beadlon bead stringing wire in whatever pattern your little heart desires. Finish each end with 2 crimp beads and a clasp, using your wire cutters and flat-nosed pliers.
Step 4: Work up the nerve to wear this bad boy out on the town. Outfit-wise you might opt for something a little more subdued so that your new necklace can be the focal point. Not only great for necklaces, these balls look awesome displayed in a bowl on a table. Perhaps you could string them up and make them into a mobile. I also suppose they might still work for a game of table tennis.
About the Author:
Jennifer Perkins is the woman behind the blog, book, and jewelry website Naughty Secretary Club. She spends her days crafting and wrangling her new daughter in Austin, Texas.
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