Guitar strings can make beautiful jewelry, in addition to beautiful music.
Some guitarists go through dozens of strings in just a few weeks. Throwing them away seems like a waste. Instead, repurpose them to make an edgy necklace. Doing so is an environmentally friendly alternative to buying new beading wire for your jewelry-making projects.
Instructions
1. Wipe down the string. Guitar strings get very messy, so take a dry cloth and wipe it down. You also can use rubbing alcohol. Do not use any other liquid unless it's made specifically for cleaning guitar strings, otherwise you can cause the string to prematurely rust.
2. Measure and cut the string. Wrap the string around your neck to find the appropriate length. If you're making the necklace for someone else, a general guide is about 12 inches for short, choker-like necklaces, and 16 inches for longer necklaces that fall just above the breast bone. Also, add about three inches for the clasp. Cut the string using wire cutters.
3. Attach a clasp. Start this by stringing a crimp bead with the clasp attached about an inch and a half from one end of the string. Then bend the guitar string where the crimp bead is, and thread the two ends of wire through the clasp, leaving a small loop. Take a pair of pliers and squeeze the crimp bead, flattening it and securing it place. Then take the crimp bead cover and slide that up the string so that it covers the crimp bead. Secure by shutting it closed with the pliers.
4. Add any beads or adornments at this point. Some people use several beads, and others only use one or two to keep the guitar string exposed. If you are opting for an intricate pattern with several beads, lay out your beads to be sure that the pattern will fit and that the beads are centered. Feed them through the end without a clasp.
5. Attach the split rings, or the part of the necklace that the clasps will attach to. You will use the same process that you used to attach the clasp, outlined in Step 3. This will complete your guitar string necklace.
