3 Easy DIY Chokers

I'm pretty late to the choker game since it's been back in style for awhile now. Also, I may have actually Googled "are chokers still in style?" before starting this DIY. Guess my age is showing! I hadn't worn a choker since the last time they were really popular back in the 90s. Even then I didn't like to wear them. I thought they were uncomfortable and that my neck was too short to wear them. Yes, you read that right. I think I read in a teen magazine that you shouldn't wear chokers if your neck is short because they were unflattering. The self-esteem of young girls is so fragile and convoluted that I stayed away from chokers because of some silly "fashion rule". So now that I'm a full grown adult I decided to try them out again and short neck be damned. Confidence is the most flattering thing you can wear anyway.

The first choker I made was super simple. I wondered if it was even worth a tutorial, but I loved it so much I wanted to share it anyway. Yeah, it is a bit uncomfortable, but in that I'm constantly remember I'm wearing it kind of way. Plus, I feel really cool in it. (Is it still cool to say cool?) Of course, I didn't stop there. I decided to make another, slightly more complicated choker. Then leftover from that I had the perfect amount of chain left to make a third simple choker. Now I have three chokers to pick from depending on my mood. Ready to get started? Pick your favorite or make all 3!

Beginner's Guide to Basic Jewelry Making

I started experimenting with making my own jewelry a few years ago. I've always had a bit of a jewelry addiction and bought way more than I actually wear. That's probably why I was drawn to buying inexpensive jewelry to be able to afford such an addiction. Then I decided to actually try making making some of my own "cheaper" versions of more expensive jewelry I loved but didn't want to or couldn't afford to spend much on. Sometimes the process involves trying to replicate an inspiration piece, but other times I just take out my jewelry making supplies and see what inspires me.

This will be a very basic beginner guide. I wrote it mainly as a companion to my other jewelry making tutorials to explain in further detail some of the steps. It will cover the supplies you will need as well as the basic skills needed to do any of my jewelry tutorials. As a disclaimer, I am no expert. My skills are still in the advanced beginner to intermediate level and I'm completely self-taught. I just want to share some basic knowledge if you want to start making jewelry but don't know where to start. Let's begin with basic supplies. You can get most of these inexpensively from craft stores or purchase online. You can even repurpose old or broken jewelry you already have for chain, clasps, or pendants.

Easy Zippered Pillow Cover Sewing Tutorial

I have a pretty easy tutorial for you today. I know I've had several posts about making pillows before, but they're one of my favorite easy projects. It's a great way to update the look of your home when you want a change. This particular pillow cover tutorial is super easy and quick and probably the most basic zippered cover you can make. Even if you haven't sew a zipper on before (it's not as scary as it seems!) you will still be able to make these. It's a fast and beginner-friendly project with just 10 easy steps. You could sew up several of these in under in hour.

The only things you will need for this pillow cover tutorial are some fabric, a zipper, and a pillow form. If you don't have a pillow form, you can easily make your own using this tutorial. Another great source of pillow forms is a store like TJ Maxx or Marshalls. Be sure to check the clearance section you might find some "ugly" or damaged pillows for cheaper. Then you can simply remove the cover and sew your own with fabric of your choice. The pillow forms I used for this tutorial are feather and from IKEA (another cheap source!). I had them in storage for a long time and the pillow covers were worn and badly piling so I decided to re-cover them.