When it comes to fashion, finding the right piece of jewelry to go with that rockin’ outfit can sometimes be a challenge. For example, you just bought this adorable v-neck top and you just so happen to have the same color necklace and earrings at home. But when you try on the necklace it is at that annoying length where the pendant keeps falling inside your shirt and between the girls. If only it was just a little shorter! Or maybe just a little longer…
Never fear! Here are a few tricks that you can use to adjust your jewelry stash to work with any outfit. It will have you totally rethinking your entire jewelry stash!
- Too short: Perhaps you bought a necklace online and didn’t pay attention to the length in the description, and it’s waaay too short. Stop! Don’t start contemplating who you are going to give it to for the next birthday or holiday. There is a simple way to add a little length to any necklace! If you have a chain bracelet in your jewelry box, you can attach each end to your necklace and, voila, you now have a longer length! I have a gold and a silver bracelet in my jewelry box for just such an occassion. Still not long enougth? You can add two bracelets or even another necklace for even more length!
- Too long: So you’re having the opposite problem. Your necklace is too long for the outfit you choose and wish it were shorter. There a couple of tricks you can try depending on the type of necklace you want to shorten. One easy fix is to simply tie a knot in the back. There are couple of things to consider when doing this technique, however. If you are tying a knot in a beaded necklace, be careful not to tie the knot too tight. Beading wire is made of several strands of metal wire covered by a layer of flexible nylon. Because it’s metal, tying it too tight can make a crimp (or bend) in the wire that may be hard to get out. If you are tying a knot in chain, the same is true. Don’t tie the knot too tight or you’ll have a hard time getting it out. I probably wouldn’t try this technique with a really dainty chain or an expensive metal. If you are trying to shorten a linked necklace, making the necklace shorter is a breeze, and you problaby have already figured this one out. Simply attach the lobster claw lower in the chain. This technique works well with chain bracelets too!
- Broken jewelry: In my booth, I have had customers bring me “broken” jewelry that they want me to repair or repurpose. In my mind, “broken” means that the beading wire has snapped and that the necklace needs to be entirely restrung. Usually, though, a jump ring has simply opened and needs to be resecured. This is something easy you can fix at home with little or no tools. If the jump ring is pliable enough, you can usually just slip it through both ends where the necklace separated and use your fingernails to push the jump ring back together. If the jump ring is thicker or warped, you can use two small pliers (they don’t have to be jewelry pliers) to bend the jump ring back together. Here is a helpful video I found online that shows how to correctly open and close a jump ring. (It’s easier than you think!) If you’re looking for an inexpensive set of jewelry pliers, Walmart has a small set in the jewelry section of the craft department. It comes in a red velvet bag and is small enough to keep inside of your jewelry box.
If you are interested in learning more about making or repairing your jewelry, I offer jewelry making classes and supply all of the tools and materials. For more information, fill out the contact us form.
