Cheap Choker Necklace Tutorial

Hey guys! So I completely forgot about making a tutorial post yesterday and I know that I've been falling behind on my word but I've just been so busy doing things in life that I keep forgetting.. I'm so sorry. But today's tutorial is going to be .. pretty cheap. I know that choker necklaces and the like hav gotten more and more popular, so I just wanted to show those of you who would like one, but know that they don't have a lot of money to buy it for themselves from the amazing shops that sell them. 

Now on to the tutorial!

 What you'll need is:

• half a yard (or exact measurements; whatever YOU want) of 2 different types of lace and/or ribbon (one for the main design and the other for a tie closure)
• scissors
• needle & thread (or if you're lazy like me; sewing machine!)
• hot glue gun
• optional: charms & cabochons

First things first, measure the main ribbon or lace around your neck so that it's fitted for your neck and looks the way that you want it to.

Cut like so~

Afterwards, make sure to hem the edges however you choose to do so (I use machine for literally everything) so that the ends don't fray.

Next, get the second ribbon/lace that you will be using for a tie! 

Hold it up against the newly hemmed ends of your soon-to-be choker necklace and keep in mind the length that you're satisfied with for your tie closure.

Cut like so.

Then take a needle and thread to the ribbon/lace (or whatever you choose really that suits you best) and hem the edges.

Next, sew both ends of the main lace with the tie closure.

When finished, it should look something like this. 

Although the original design looked fine, a part of me found it kinda boring by itself, so I had created a little bow. I had hot glued it to stay in the form that I had wanted it to be in, then hot glued it to the main lace piece itself. You can do this with any accessory you'd like really, cabochons and charms. You could even attach a bell to it if you have one and some jump rings laying around!

Here are some shots of the choker necklace by itself (not worn).

I had tried the exact technique (sewing wise!) with some super cute iridescent laces and ribbons and it turned out absolutely amazing.

For the edges, I actually used a lighter instead to melt the edges of my main ribbon piece and the tie closure instead of hemming it.

And I had glued it to the piece using a fabric glue instead of a hot glue gun this time. It's much, much nicer in my opinion (but that's mostly because I have a thing against hot glue haha) !

Absolutely my favorite collar so far (I've made several for commissions but I didn't use this technique haha). But you know, the secret to all of this is.. if you know what you want and what you'd like, just simply follow what your heart desires and pair it up with the rules of practicality and craftsmanship... and you should be left with a satisfying outcome like so! 

And yes, I know that this isn't even close to being compared to some of the magnificent pieces that online shops have made... but this should be fine for those who know that they won't end up with the same result and that they're more than perfectly fine with not having the exact level of quality material, but it is the cheapest and the most practical way to achieve the aesthetic that you want while saving your wallet.