After last week’s frustrating news about jewelry company Tatty Devine, we’re happy to report something a little cheerier: their book, How to Make Jewellery with Tatty Devine, will be published by Penguin in the U.S. in 2013! Tatty Devine (founded by Rosie Wolfenden and Harriet Vine) has become famous in England for their witty, offbeat designs, often made out of Perspex (a type of lightweight, durable acrylic). The brand’s arty wares can be found in shops worldwide, and their popular custom-made name necklaces have been spotted on Jessie J and Claudia Schiffer, among others. We got an advance copy of Tatty Devine’s book, and it made its way around the BUST office accompanied by squeals of delight and admiration. We love TD’s inspiring tutorials and craft challenges as much as the too-cute creations they yield. We also dig that these Brit babes are down to collaborate with their fellow DIY-ers, and today they’re sharing one of our favorite projects from the book: how to make a sweet little necklace out of old glasses. Here are their instructions (be warned, they involve some sharp objects, so please use caution when handling even the tiniest saws or drills):
You’ll need:
1 pair of old glasses
Soft cloth
Q-tips
A vise
Hacksaw
Small flat file
Drill
1.2 mm drill bit
Epoxy glue
Old flier or playing card
Toothpicks
2 small screw-in eyelets
60 cm necklace chain
Wire cutters
Regular jump rings
2 pairs of flat-nose pliers
- Try hunting for old glasses in yard sales or thrift shops. We especially favor frames from old-style glasses, vintage shades, and the sort of glasses that Jarvis Cocker or your grandma would wear.
- Old glasses frames are often really dirty when you first come across them, like all the best treasures. But don’t be put off: a good cleaning will get rid of years of accumulated grime. Warm, soapy water is the best. Harsh cleaners can corrode some old types of plastic and may strip away any lovely details that are painted or printed on the frames.
- Use a soft cloth to avoid scratches, and use toothpicks and Q-tips to get into all the nooks and crannies.
- When the cleanup is done, hold the glasses securely in a vise and, using the hacksaw, cut through the arm hinges as close to the frame as possible.
- Using the file, smooth off any sharp edges. These will be against your skin, so the smoother the better.
- Hold the frames in the vice, and drill a hole approximately 3mm deep into the top corner of the glasses frame, using the 1.2mm size drill bit. Make sure you don’t hit the lenses or the metal inside the frames. Do the same on the other side.
- Mix up the epoxy glue on a flier or playing card, using the toothpick. Dab a small blob of glue on to the screw-in eyelets and then screw them into the holes on the frame. Leave to dry.
- Hold up the necklace chain by the clasp and, using the wire cutters, cut it in half, opposite the clasp. It looks best if the chain is long enough for you to hold the glasses up to your face.
- Attach the chain to the regular jump rings with the pliers, and then the jump rings to the eyelets. Pop it over your head, and voila–simple library chic.
Reprinted from How to Make Jewellery With Tatty Devine, with permission from Tatty Devine.
