Badge (Pin) Necklace: Photos

[MamaSasss]

So, a few months ago I saw this book Making Stuff: An Alternative Craft Book at Urban Outfitters and while flipping through the pages I found instructions for a necklace made out of badges (as the British call them, we Americans call them pins. The book is British, by the way). I got really excited 'cuz I wear badges everyday. So, I finally bought the book this past week and made the necklace...

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j76/joyful_morgana/Drawings%20and%20Paintings/ArtsandCrafts061.jpg


http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j76/joyful_morgana/Drawings%20and%20Paintings/ArtsandCrafts067.jpg
I straightened the badges out a little and cut down the size of the chain after I took the pictures, but I'm very happy with how it turned out.

Thoughts?


*M*

[BellaMuertexcore]

i love that!

did you do anything special to the backs, so that they don't come undone? i have some on my purse but they always fall off...so i was just thinking it would kind of suck if you were wearing them on the necklace and it came off and stabbed you. lol

[duct tape dude!]

wow awesome! i wanna get alot of those badges

[sewittogether]

Awesome!

[MamaSasss]

i love that!

did you do anything special to the backs, so that they don't come undone? i have some on my purse but they always fall off...so i was just thinking it would kind of suck if you were wearing them on the necklace and it came off and stabbed you. lol

Here's what the backs look like:
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j76/joyful_morgana/Drawings%20and%20Paintings/ArtsandCrafts063.jpg


Ya know, I'll just try to take the time to post the instructions here. I should have just done that any way. Silly Mama.

[sewittogether]

Wow. how did you get them to stay like that?. Stupid question , Love it , i need to find some badges or pins.

[MamaSasss]

Wow. how did you get them to stay like that?. Stupid question , Love it , i need to find some badges or pins.

I'll try to either make a video or just copy the instructions out of the book tonight. It's so easy. A little tedious, but easy.

[Load3r]

im so going to make one for my girlfriend.
so lets have those instructions :D i have a basic idea but want to know just how they recommend to bend the wires.
think there is anyway to add some solder to prevent all possible chances of neck stabbing?

[MamaSasss]

Ok, I just typed this all out at work, so if there is something that is too confusing or you need help lemme know. :D Hopefully the pictures I posted can help a little, too.

Badge Necklace:

You Will Need:
-About 20 badges (pins) depending on their size.
-Wire Cutters
-Needle nosed pliers (jewelry pliers are best)
-A flat head nail
-Hammer
-A 7" chain (or there abouts)
-Necklace rings (2, or baggy ties or wire to make your own)
-A block of wood or thick magazine
Make sure to use badges that don’t have the plastic backing. It’s just easier. Turn the pin backing on all the badges so they are facing the same way.
Take the pliers and pull the pin up from the badge (so it’s sticking up straight) and clip off the tip of the pin (this is to prevent you from getting stabbed in the neck!). Make sure you’re doing this part over a garbage can or something. Otherwise the tip flies away and you’ll never find it until you step on it 6 months later. Do this for every badge.
Place the badge back down (picture facing up) on the block of wood or magazine and with the nail and hammer poke a hole through the opposite side of the badge from the pin. Make the hole as close to the side as you can. Do this on all the badges. The last badge will need two holes, one on each side (for the necklace ring).
Figure out the order of the badges you want. Take the first two badges. Stick the pin part of the first badge through the hole of the second badge. Take the needle nosed pliers and bend it around to clamp onto the other badge. Repeat on all the badges.
On the last badge (with the holes on both sides) attach to the rest of the badges and then attach the necklace ring (although you may want to use wire if you have it or maybe even baggy ties). Add the other ring to the badge on the other side of the necklace. Add the chain and you’re done! You have a loverly badge necklace! Things I have discovered while making the necklace:
1. Make sure you really have the hole opposite the pin otherwise the badge will hang crooked. However, if that happens it’s easy to fix. Just take it apart and adjust the pin backing (they move really easily), but make sure not to bend the pin wire too much or it will break off.
2. I recommend that if you have extra wire lying around to use that instead of the necklace rings to attach the chain to the badges. The ones I got were too small and a pain in the ass to get through the hole on the badge. Next time I’m just affixing my own.
3. Last but not least the longer the chain you use the more likely it will not hang right. This is meant to be more of a choker than a dangly piece.


Post your pics when you're done!!!
*M*

[Load3r]

when you curled the wire around the adjacent pin, how much extra wire was there? was it able to reach back around and touch itself? this could be a good soldering point.

[pinoyblaze]

bravo MamaSass, this is a awesome project :D I shall pick some of my favorite pins (or if I was british, badges :P) and put them to good use.

[MamaSasss]

when you curled the wire around the adjacent pin, how much extra wire was there? was it able to reach back around and touch itself? this could be a good soldering point.

It's a tight squeeze, but there is just enough of the wire left over to clamp it onto the other badge. The wire itself can't really wrap around too far, but just enough.

You could solder it if you really wanted to, but honestly it's an unnecessary step. You'd be surprised how well it holds together as is. ;)

[Load3r]

i just really am looking for an excuse to solder things ....... mm smells good

[BellaMuertexcore]

thank you so much for posting the instrustions!

[miss.green.tea]

aaah now i wish i had pins!!! i love them but don't have any... (well i have three...)

[Load3r]

tip: if you find anywhere giving out free pins, try to score as many as possible. they are easy to paint over and almost any design looks good on a 1" circle, or glue fabric circles. ooo red plaid.

[iamtyping]

hmm I would totally do that because that's AWESOME but I love large pins. and you can't really put those into a necklace. xD Awesome job though. ^^

[miss.green.tea]

tip: if you find anywhere giving out free pins, try to score as many as possible. they are easy to paint over and almost any design looks good on a 1" circle, or glue fabric circles. ooo red plaid.
hey thanks for the idea~ yea we used to have LOADS of charity workers wandering around giving out free pins but now they all sorta... left... then again, that was when we lived like a mile away from where we live now... i guess they don't fan out much?

anyway, i'll be on the lookout for them now *is not a stalker i promise*

[fifilafoo]

thats a really nice idea I like it alot! its looks really cool too but I'd be afraid of the pin

[ikrizia]

sweet

[MamaSasss]

I'm so glad you all dig this. Glad to share the DIY love.

hmm I would totally do that because that's AWESOME but I love large pins. and you can't really put those into a necklace. xD Awesome job though. ^^

Depending on the size and how many you have you could always make a bracelet instead of a necklace. I'm getting ready to do that next. :DOoooooo, or even a belt! Egads the possibilities!

Load3r - I completely understand the desire to solder things. In fact...I've been thinking of rekindling my love of soldering. We should collaborate on a project and then get famous 'n stuff. :cool:

[iamtyping]

ooo that's true. I think a bracelet would work. ^^ Thanks!

But YEAH I like to solder as well. I fixed my saxophone a couple times *shifts eyes* I mean no... I don't have severe accidents in band..... :rolleyes:

[Glitterimage2]

soo neat i love it because it looks so cool