Create Simple DIY Layered Necklaces With Layered Looks

Love the look of multiple layered necklaces, but unsure how to successfully combine necklaces into a stylish look? Darice Layered Looks necklace kits make combining several different necklaces into a single DIY layered necklace look easy, and fun. And did I mention you get to make the necklaces yourself?

Some of my favorite stores are selling multiple layered necklaces together in pre-curated sets, and I was excited to discover that Darice’s new Layered Looks DIY jewelry line allows the same trendy look of an Anthropologie or ModCloth necklace for a fraction of the price. Plus, you get to make it yourself and completely customize the length of each DIY layered necklace.

The Layered Looks kits come in either 2-necklace or 3-necklace sets. Today I am working on sets that make 2 necklaces.

DIY Layered Necklace Supplies:

• Layered Looks Shipwrecked Set
• Layered Looks Silver Chevron
• Wire Cutters and Long-nose Pliers (I used the Darice Jewelry Tools Set)
• Darice Findings Starter Kit OR Darice Jump Rings (optional)
• Darice Chain Lengths (optional)

A Note About Tools & Supplies:

• Tools: I recommend using the Darice Jewelry Tools set because it comes with wire cutters and multiple sets of pliers. For these Layered Looks kits, the jump rings are small and stiff, and I found that it was necessary to use two sets of pliers to open and close them completely.
• Jump Rings: I added jump rings to the project, because the jump rings in the Layered Looks kit are small, and I like to have a large jump ring to use at the end of my necklace so it’s easier to fasten the clasp. You can skip this extra supply if you want.
• Chain Extenders: If you want your necklaces to be longer than 20″ (the kit chain lengths), the easiest way to add length is with Darice Chain Extenders. To make the necklaces shorter, you will use the wire cutters to adjust the chain length.

Step one. Open up the Layered Looks package. You will have two (or three) pendants/charms attached to 20″ chains, a few jump rings, and a few clasps.

Step two. Open up a jump ring with your two sets of long-nose pliers and attach it to the end of one of the DIY layered necklace chains.

Note: To open a jump ring, hold one side of the ring with pliers, and gently pull the other side of the ring toward you. The jump ring should look like a tiny Slinky that is being stretched, NOT like an open O with a gap in it.

Step three. Open a jump ring and put a clasp on it, and then attach the jump ring to the other end of the necklace chain.

Hint: If you are right-handed, put the lobster clasp on the right side of the necklace (with the charm facing outward), to make it easier to clasp when you are putting the necklace on.

For the 2nd DIY layered necklace, repeat the same steps, except add one chain extender to the end of one side of the chain.

Then put the two necklaces on, and you are instantly accessorized!

I love this nautical DIY layered necklace set!

You can also combine the two necklaces into a single layered necklace, or use wire cutters to shorten the chain to your desired shorter necklace length.

To shorten a chain: Decide how much length you want to take off of the necklace, for example, 2″ total. Divide that number in half and then take that amount off each side of the chain. In the example of a 2″ shorter necklace, you would take 1″ of chain off of each side of one necklace.

Cut the desired length of chain off with wire cutters, then attach jump rings to the ends of the chain.

To create a single DIY layered necklace: Attach both necklaces to a single lobster clasp and single larger jump ring.

There are so many Layered Looks Jewelry kits to choose from. Which DIY layered necklace look is your favorite?

About Heather

Heather Mann is the mother of four boys and designs and shares clever crafts with a frugal twist at her site Dollar Store Crafts. She's also fascinated by the unsuccessful (yet humorous) side of crafting, and explores it at her site CraftFail, and in her new book, CraftFail: When Handmade Goes Horribly Wrong.

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