I've been looking for a good pirate necklace, at a reasonable price, for a while now, without any luck. Well, I was in a bead store yesterday and saw this Chinese coin. I figured, with a good length of chain, some wire, the coin, and some super glue, I could make one myself. So, for about $10.00 and a half hour (mostly spent wrestling with the glue...and losing), I managed to put this together. I know it's rather simple, but I figure that I can always add other trinkets to it as I find them.
In fact, I was thinking of maybe buying more of the same coin, but, instead of gluing wire to all of them, I'd just lace the rest of them through the middle of the coin on both side of this one. My only problem with this is figuring out how to keep them all from falling together and grouping up at the bottom of the necklace. They also sold the same coin, only much, much smaller and with hooks. Perhaps I could connect those with wire to the chain, along both side of the big coin.
What do you think? Any suggestions for adding to it, or easier ways to put it together? I bought enough material to make a second, matching necklace, for my wife, so please feel free to add your two cents.
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I like your necklace so far, but I agree it needs more. The best way to attach more trinkets that keeps them from running into each other is jump rings. You can get them at just about any craft store, or even walmart. if you hook the jump ring through the links of the chain your trinket will stay right where you put it! Of course with the way that coin is made it gets a little bit more complicated. I have seen in the past where someone will get a very fine chain or some form of ribbon to run through the center hole and then you can attach that to a jump ring then to the chain. I'd love to see more pics as you add more!
I agree: instead of hooking the coins *around* the chain, hook them *through* the links. Also, there's no reason you can't take a tiny drill bit and drill another hole at the top of the coin.
I've heard that a Dremel tool will do the job just fine!
Thank you all for the responses.
First, I'll have to grab some jump rings. I'm not sure how to attached them to the coins, but I'm sure I can figure something out.
Second, I thought about drilling a whole shortly after posting this. I'm just concerned that I might damage the coin. Still, I think I'm going to purchase a bunch of doubloons and alternate them with the smaller Chinese coins from the bead store. I figure, if I get enough doubloons, I can afford to take a chance with one of them.
Finally, the dremel tool is a great idea. I think my father has one. If so, I'll have to give that I try. If not, I'll have to ask around, or just use the drill.
I should have posted here before making the necklace. I could have saved some time, as well as done it using better materials.
Thanks for the ideas.
Sir. Kindle
Do you know what type of metal the coins are made from? You might be able to solder a loop to the top. Otherwise, I was thinking the same as what has been posted about the jump rings and drilling a hole. I like the coin! :D
Depending on the coin you may even be able to punch a hole through it with a hammer and nail. That's for the really quick fix when you don't have time to drag out the dremel. My daughter has a chain belt with assorted coins on it. Some are doubloons she received as favors at different faires. Some are foreign coins that I've collected over the years when I worked retail. Several are smooshed pennies that we put through one of those machines at the zoo and they come out with pictures on them. We thought those were really perfect for a little girl. One of the neatest ideas my husband came up with was getting Chuckie Cheese tokens (they're metal) and then hammering them. He leaves just enough of the original image on them that it looks like an old coin that you can't quite make out the figure. I'll post pictures of the belt later when the batteries are charged.
I'd say start with what you 'ave, an' add to it as ye go along through lyfe's journey. Keep a weather eye oot fer the unique an' unusual. Funny thing, as ye go, ye'll 'ave Faire Friends contributin' t' it as well. Eventually, ary piece 'll 'ave a tale t' go w' it. THEN ye'll 'ave a TRUE Pirate's necklace.
Do th' same fer yer Bonny Wife...then y'll both 'ave unique, yet similar necklaces. :)
I finally finished the necklace today. It took entirely too long to drill the wholes and get the jump rings just right, so that the sides that I wanted to face forward, actually do just that. So, what do you think?
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OoO, thats lovely! I like it. Nicely done!
Outstanding!
It looks wonderful.
Awesome! Nicely done!
Very Nice!