Make a Statement with

Get in the mood for love with Claire Nigeon's betsey johnson-inspired jewellery!

Claire Nigeon, MJ Designer

This is a great project for using up any spare ribbon and beads you may have, creating your own unique look

Necklace

1. Download our shrink plastic templates here. Cut out two small circles and one large circle from black shrink plastic, plus a heart and a rectangle from frosted shrink plastic. Make holes in the places marked on the templates with a hole punch, then shrink the shapes in an oven according to the manufacturer's instructions.
2. Starting from the central hole in the star shape punched into the heart, sew into each of the five surrounding holes with pink embroidery thread and tie off at the back. Thread 80cm of 3mm dark pink ribbon onto a needle and push it through from the back of the central hole where the embroidery thread is tied off, to the front, leaving 2cm of ribbon at the reverse. Start sewing the ribbon in and out of the five threads in a circular motion. Go under a thread and over the next and repeat until you reach the outer holes and these are covered, forming a rose. Stick the 2cm tail of ribbon at the back down with a dab of glue to secure.
3. Cut small pieces of scrap green material the same size as the two leaf shapes formed by the holes punched in the heart With green thread, sew around the outline of the leaves and the inside, over the green fabric, then tie off at the back. On the top right hole sew on a butterfly charm, with a pink fire-polished bead on top.
4. Using the heart as a template, cut a piece of pink felt. Sew onto the reverse using blanket stitch and black thread, placing a 4mm crystal AB bicone onto the needle every time it is passed from the back to the front of the work. Sew on 6mm crystal beads going through every two holes so they rest on the outer edge, plus add two more at the bottom point of the heart.
5. Stitch a postcard charm to the rectangle with a 4mm crystal bead and sew on a pink felt backing with blanket stitch and 4mm crystal beads. Stitch a dark pink ribbon rose to the centre of one of the small circles, adding a heart charm underneath. Sew on a felt background with blanket stitch. Repeat for the second small circle, forming a rose with 80cm of grey ribbon.
6. For the large circle, form a rose with 50cm of 5mm light pink ribbon and a leaf. Blanket stitch a felt background, but sew a length of gold chain with it all the way around. Weave 3mm dark pink ribbon in and out of the chain and trim. Sew a gold leaf charm to the rose to disguise the ribbon join. Attach a heart charm to the chain at the top of the circle with a jump ring, then sew on 6mm crystal beads at every hole with black thread.
7. Connect the units together with three jump rings. Hang a leaf charm between the heart and the grey rose circle. Cut 30cm of monofilament and feed one end through a hole at the top of the dark pink rose circle on the left. Bring both ends together and string with 6mm cream pearls and 6mm black firepolished beads, alternating colours. Finish with a necklace end and a dab of glue, then repeat for the other side. Attach a jump ring to either end and add a trigger clasp.