Comments on: How to Convert a Bolo Tie to a Necklace?

By: Jane Gustafson

Jane Gustafson — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 03:33:36 +0000

In reply to Debra Lowe. Debra, Do you mind sharing how you were able to solder the jump rings to the bolo, if it already has a stone in it? Do use some kind of heat resistant gel (like ads I've seen for cool jewel) on the stone side, so it does not heat up and crack? Thank you for sharing!

By: Joani

Joani — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 02:31:30 +0000

Thanks for all the great ideas!!!!!

By: Debra Lowe

Debra Lowe — Tue, 13 Aug 2019 13:49:40 +0000

I agree with Amanda, if you want all the components to remain, use the bolo pendant with various colors of cord, ribbon, etc.
LOTS of options. To switch it up, I usually dismantle by removing the “bolo tie” part. Sand and smooth the back. Then solder jump-rings, etc. to the focal, and proceed to do the necklace part. I have also altered an old brooch into a bolo tie by soldering a bolo mechanism to the back, so you can really alter anything into jewelry…I once made a pretty neat necklace with a vintage napkin ring.
Who’d a thunk~

By: amanda thompson

amanda thompson — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 16:43:49 +0000

It depends on if you want to keep all the components or change them up. One thing that I have been making is pendants with a bolo slide on the back and making braided cord to feed through and hang them on. You could also attach the bolo slide to a kumihimo cord. There are a lot of options

By: Rena Klingenberg

Rena Klingenberg — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 04:48:16 +0000

Joan, I’d love to see how you wind up making your bolo necklaces!

By: Joan Turnell

Joan Turnell — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 17:01:16 +0000

Thanks – Great ideas! I’m trying all of them.

By: Vicki

Vicki — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 01:41:56 +0000

You could shorten the bolo cord, thread it through the bolo focal from the bottom up towards the top, so there is no cord hanging down below at all. Put your clasp on the ends of the cord, and you have a pendant necklace.
The focal would be at the center front.

By: Rena Klingenberg

Rena Klingenberg — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 14:00:27 +0000

In reply to Joybelle. Joybelle, great ideas! :)

By: Joybelle

Joybelle — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 13:57:21 +0000

Hello Joan,
If the focal piece is removable, you could add large hole beads onto the cording and replace the focal piece. I would add enough beads to accent the piece and not take away from the focal (i.e. maybe 6-8 on either side)

You could slide the bolo focal piece to the middle, then wonky wire wrap above and below it but leave enough room at the top to hang on a chain as a long pendant.

Or just below its focal piece add wire that has beads/gems on them, then wrap to the end. This would give you room to put the bolo over the head. I imagine this looking like a lariat.

Hope you can see my visions. Send us a picture.

By: Rena Klingenberg

Rena Klingenberg — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 06:33:07 +0000

Hi Joan! I have two ideas.

Idea 1: What if you slide the bolo tie’s pendant (the sliding focal clasp) down to the ends of the bolo cord, instead of wearing the pendant up near the throat as it’s usually worn? That would make it look more like a necklace than like a bolo tie. You might even find (or create) other sliding pendants to replace the one that originally came with the bolo tie.

Idea 2: Slide the pendant to the bottom of the cord ends as I mentioned above – but then wear the sliding pendant at the back of your neck, like the sliding pendant is a fancy necklace clasp. Then you could put a regular pendant (attached by a jump ring) on what would now be the front & center part of the cord.

I hope this helps! 🙂