137 inexpensive, handmade holiday gift ideas. Part 4: jewelry & accessories
Part 4 of this seven-part list of inexpensive, handmade holiday gift ideas comprises jewelry and personal accessories. Tote bags, belts, scarves, wallets, bracelets, headbands … all the things we like to carry on us or with us. Few, if any, of these DIY projects require any special talent or skill. And you can make some of these DIY gifts from materials you already have, such as a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, some buttons, an old leather belt — even a washer from your garage. These are some of my favorites.
Originally published September 1, 2010. Updated November 19, 2020.
Part 1: Home & garden
Part 2: Christmas-themed
Part 3: From the kitchen
Part 4: Jewelry & accessories
Part 5: Themed gift sets
Part 6: For children
Part 7: Media, service, cards & wrapping
Part 4: Jewelry & accessories
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56. Make a fabric flower pin
A fabric flower pin adds a touch of whimsy to a sweater, coat, backpack, tote bag, or just about anything.
Fabric flower tutorials
Flower with button (the brown and white one)
Wired ribbon flower pin (the pink one)
Felt dahlia corsage (the red one)
No-sew felt flower pin
Melted fabric flowers (the ivory one)
57. Make a belt
Make a colorful belt out of a sash, ribbon, webbing, or cord.
Decorative stitch webbing belt
DIY Gucci tassel belt
Easy macrame belt
Woven paracord belt
Grosgrain ribbon belt
Four more belts
Video: Paracord belt
58. Make a wallet
You can make a wallet out of duct tape, leather, fabric, or mailing envelopes — nearly any material you want.
Simple Velcro wallet
Duct tape wallet
Tyvek mailing envelope wallet
Small card wallet sewing pattern
Zipper wallet
More wallet patterns
59. Keep them warm
Even if you don’t knit or crochet, you can still make a warm scarf or ear warmer.
Hand-printed fleece scarf
No-knit scarf from Martha Stewart
Easy fringe fleece scarf
Video: Arm-knit scarf
Fleece ear warmer headband
DIY no-sew flannel blanket scarf
60. String some beads
Bead a necklace, bracelet, or earrings. Two great online bead sources are Fire Mountain Gems and Artbeads.
Supplies, lessons & projects: Beadage
How to make bead earrings
DIY Tila bead bracelet
Framed ombre earrings
Lotus tassel bracelet
Beachy boho beaded hoop earrings
61. Roll paper beads
You can make your own beads out of paper, magazines, wallpaper, etc.
How to make paper beads
Paper bead rollers
Glazing and drying paper beads
How to make a rolled-paper-bead necklace and bracelet
Paper bead tutorials
62. Sew (or decorate) a tote bag
Here are some relatively easy tote-bag tutorials. Don’t sew? Buy a blank canvas tote bag and decorate it with fabric markers and stencils. Or dye it, spray paint it, glue on rhinestones, or iron on a design.
How to make a simple six-pocket bag
Tote bag made from an old pair of jeans
The 20-minute tote
Decorated canvas tote bags
Freezer paper & spray paint tote bags
63. Make button jewelry
Bracelets, necklaces, and earrings made of buttons are a fun and easy alternative to traditional jewelry.
How to make an elastic repurposed button bracelet
Stretchy button bracelet
Button bracelet and necklace
Button cuff bracelet
Dangling antique button earrings
Video: Ribbon and button necklace
64. Weave a bracelet
Make a woven bracelet out of hemp, yarn, embroidery floss, a T-shirt, etc. Add beads if you wish.
How to make hemp jewelry
Precious stone bracelet
Double spiral bracelet
Video: Mermaid-inspired hemp and pearls bracelet
Beach babe knotted bracelet (scroll down the page)
Jersey-knit bracelets
65. Make pendants out of washers
Pendant necklaces made from washers from the hardware store are surprisingly beautiful — and easy to make.
Washer necklace
More washer necklaces
Mod Podge washer necklaces with Enviro Tex
Stamped washer necklaces
Boho leather tassel necklace with hammered washer
Video: Two sided washer pendants
66. Make macrame earrings
I have to admit, I’m dying to make some macrame earrings, and they look super easy.
DIY macrame earrings
Hoop macrame earrings
Photo tutorial on Pinterest
DIY macrame feather earrings
Diamond-shaped macrame earrings
67. Make leather jewelry
Leather bracelets, cuffs, earrings, etc. make lovely gifts.
DIY leather cuffs from old belts
Stitched leather bracelets
Trendy Boho long dangle suede fringe earrings
Leather mystery braid bracelets
Stamped leather bracelets
Leather ring snap bracelet
Leather cord wrap bracelet
66. Make a ribbon bracelet or necklace
Ribbon jewelry ideas range from simple to complicated, but all can be stunning.
Rosette bib necklace
Anthropologie Power Of 3 knockoff necklace
DIY ladder yarn necklace
Pandora ribbon bracelet
Easy ribbon necklace
Wired ribbon bracelet cuffs
67. Sew a scarf
Sew — or don’t sew — a fashionable scarf out of fabric, lace, or a T-shirt.
Infinity scarf from Martha Stewart
Gathered pom-pom T-shirt scarf
DIY fringe T-shirt scarf
Upcycled T-shirt scarf
Shirred scarf
Lace scarf
68. Make yo yos
Sew yo-yo headbands, brooches, or hairpins. Or decorate a tote bag, purse, hat, belt, scarf, or shoes with yo-yos. Or make a necklace, bracelet, or ring out of them.
Anthropologie knockoff bobby pins
Make a fabric yo-yo bracelet
More yo-yo projects
Yo-yo necklace tutorial
Yo-yo headbands & pins tutorial
69. Make a keychain
Make a keychain fob out of fabric scraps, leather, macrame, beads, etc. Make one that can also old something small, such as lip balm, or turn one into a bracelet.
Fabric scrap keychains
How to make a Chapstick holder keychain
DIY leather Hermes knock-off key ring
Make your own macramé keychain
Bangle keychain bracelets
70. Make a utility cord bracelet
Utility cord (paracord) bracelets come in all different styles, work for men and women, and most are easy to make.
Utility cord bangle
Paracord bracelet
Conquistador paracord bracelet
17 paracord bracelet patterns with instructions
71. Make jewelry out of silverware
Turn old, mismatched spoons, forks, and knives from the thrift store into beautiful jewelry.
Spoon ring tutorial
Video: How to cut flatware for crafts and jewelry
DIY silverware jewelry
Vintage spoon pendants
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