New Najavo

Get beading with Lisa Steed Davey's fabulous statement collar!

Lisa Steed Davey, MJ Designer

Bright beads surrounded by spirals of contrasting cord really make this navajo collar stand out!

This eclectic collar necklace takes its cue from the current trend of Navajo style, offering a mix of bright colours with a more rustic neutral base. Silk cords in mustard, red, brown and turquoise are twisted around glass dome beads to form circles on a brown felt base, for a vibrant look guaranteed to perk up those cold grey days!

Bib Necklace

1. Download the collar templates provided here and cut out from paper. Using the first template as a guide, cut out three collar shapes from brown felt and one from fusible webbing, then use the second template to cut one collar shape from buckram net. Iron the net in the middle of one of the felt pieces then sew in place. Cut 10cm each of turquoise and mustard cord, plus brown and red rat tail, tape the ends so they do not fray, then lay on top of the net and machine or hand stitch in place on one side of the necklace. Repeat for the other end.
2. Cover the net with another felt piece and sew very close to the edge. Cut out the following circle pieces: two felt and one fusible webbing large circles, four felt and two fusible webbing medium circles, and four felt and two fusible webbing small circles. Iron each pair of matching felt circles together with the fusible webbing sandwiched in the middle.
3. Sew a yellow dome bead in the centre of the largest circle, then start to wrap a long length of red rat tail and turquoise cord around it, securing as you go around with tiny stitches. When the spiral is complete, leaving a border of brown felt around the edge, trim to size and tuck the ends underneath before sewing in place. Sew groups of turquoise and red seed beads all the way round the edge of the circle as shown, then stitch to the middle of the collar.
4. Sew a green dome bead in the middle of one of the medium circles, then wrap turquoise rat tail and mustard cord all the way round, stitching in place as before. Sew yellow and turquoise seed beads around the edge, then repeat for the second medium circle. Stitch each finished disc either side of the large circle on the collar.
5. Stitch a turquoise dome bead in the middle of one of the smallest circles, wrapping around it with green rat tail and turquoise cord, then sewing turquoise and green seed beads around the edge. Repeat for the other small circle and sew them next to the medium-sized circles on the collar. Stitch on a mix of coloured dome beads to fill in the gaps on the necklace, starting with turquoise in the middle, then working out towards the ends with yellow, green and red.
6. Place the fusible webbing collar shape onto the reverse of the necklace followed by the third felt shape. Iron in place to cover up the stitching. Sew blue, yellow and red seed beads around the edge as shown, in the same way as for the circles. Using flat-nosed pliers attach ribbon ends and 8mm jump rings to the cords, then add an extension chain to one end and a lobster clasp on the other.

Earrings

1. Cut 10cm each of brown and red rat tail, plus turquoise and mustard cord. Wrap sticky tape around the ends so they are flat and fold in half. Attach a 1cm ribbon end over the ends, followed by an 8mm jump ring and an earwire. Repeat to make a pair.