Valentine showers of love button necklace tutorial

I somehow relate pink and flowers with Valentines day. Dont know why, dont know how but I do it. and I realised this only after I made this tutorial and went through the previous 2 years valentines day tutorials on my blog. No points for guessing – they were flowers and they were in pink 😀 So coming to this necklace – its got some of my favourite things in it – buttons, bright colors, wire and it is mean looking – all tangled wire and pokey and not the gentle, delicate thing that one normally associates with love. But I do; for thats me!  I like to think of the little buttons as drops in the shower of love – and hence the name – Valentine Showers of love button necklace!!  

The reason I wanted to make this as a valentine’s day tutorial because this is something that a guy (arty/crafty) could actually make for his girl – It involves chain, wire, and buttons and if he just forgets the color, it is well within comfort zone…;)

So then girls and guys, get ready, here are the materials that you would need to make this necklace

Materials:

– buttons – assorted – I used printed shell buttons (3), polyester shirt buttons  in three colors (7) and double colored nylon buttons (2)
– 26g brass wire
– 18 inches pink chain 
– lobster clasp(brass) and 2 jump rings
– pliers, wire cutter

Process:

1) Decide what buttons you want for the first layer and arrange then till to arrive at the desired pattern. I got my first layer buttons from Lotsofbuttons in a tutorial exchange here
2) cut seven pieces of 3inch wire. Thread them onto your buttons keeping one end short and other long; fold the shorter edge and twist over the longer end. Thread the longer wire into a loop of the chain and bring it back to make a wrapped loop. Tuck in all wire ends and file if required. Here a tutorial on how to make a wrapped loop. Believe me it doesnt have to be neat or precise as in the link, as we are going for a natural – rustic and shabby chic look. however do not bend the loop or skew it – for it will hang weird when worn.
3) Starting at the center keep adding buttons using the above process till you get you desired pattern. See you dont even need pliers as the wire is really pliable and easy to work with.
4) now for the second level – cut six pieces of 7inches wire. Thread them on the buttons and twist them – unevenly to go with the unstructured looping.
 5) taking care not to bend the wires, loop them to the chain as you did with the first layer. You might require pliers here as you have to wrap 2 wires equally (as they are already twisted together). Tuck in all wire ends and file if required
6) finally add a clasp, by using jump rings to the ends of the chain. 

Ta Da – Your Valentine Showers of love button necklace is done and will look like this.Wrap with up in a tracing sheet/ butter paper and in goes into box for gift giving 

 This pattern is so adaptable as its based on a charm necklace and could be made into a bracelet too – just use shorter lengths of wire. You can use briolettes too for a classy look. Do Tune into my facebook page to see how fabulous this necklace looks on its new owner 🙂
I hope you found it interesting
Cheers
With love

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