For a twist on the conventional hair accessory, try making a DIY head chain with stone beads. This project is like jewelry for your hair, and looks much harder than it is! If you’re familiar with basic jewelry-making techniques, this tutorial will be second nature for you. Follow the simple instructions below to make your own bohemian-inspired DIY head chain.
Stone DIY Head Chain Supplies:
- Tape Measure
- Darice 2mm Small Loop Cable Chain in Bright Silver (72-inch package)
- Darice 4mm Sterling Silver Jump Rings (at least 11)
- Darice Semi Precious Nugget Stone Bead Strand (I used Moss Agate)
- Darice 3-in-1 Jewelry Pliers with Cutter
- Darice 2-inch Nickel Plated Brass Eye Pins (at least 4)
Step 1. Add 1 inch worth of stone beads to an eye pin. Using the cutter portion of the pliers, trim the eye pin, leaving just over half an inch.
Step 2. Using the round nosed tips of the pliers, create a loop.
Step 3. Repeat three more times.
Step 4. Connect two eye pins with a 4mm jump ring.
Step 5. Using one 4mm jump ring on each side, connect a 20 inch long chain to the beaded eye pins.
Step 6. Trim two strands of chain measuring 4.25 inches each.
Step 7. Using one 4mm jump ring on each side, connect the two chain strands to a third beaded eye pin.
Step 8. Repeat Steps 6 & 7 with the fourth beaded eye pin.
Step 9. Take one of these strands and connect to one of the original beaded eye pins. Repeat on the other side. You can simply open up the jump rings that were attached in Step 5.
You’ll end up with something a little like this:
Step 10. Take the two strands you just added (the outermost left & right strands in the photo above) and connect the opposite ends with a 4mm jump ring.
Step 11. Connect that 4mm jump ring to the center of the original 20 inch chain, using another jump ring.
Step 12. Attach an 8-12 inch strand of chain from the back center jump ring to the middle of the front beaded eye pins. The 8-12 inch range is for your desired size and fit; you can adjust the DIY head chain accordingly.
Enjoy your new DIY head chain!
Kirsten is a lifestyle writer and craft book author focusing on DIY, food, health, and creativity. Since 2010, she has been sharing DIY projects at WildAmor.com (formerly Studs & Pearls). In May 2014, Kirsten published her first book, Studs & Pearls: 30 Creative Projects for Customized Fashion; you can find it at Barnes & Noble, Amazon & select independent bookstores. She spends most of her time writing, crafting, traveling, and dreaming up new recipe ideas. Kirsten is a born and raised New Yorker currently living in the Bay Area of California.
I would like to adjust this to make for a child for a costume. What lengths should I use then?