Lacy Jewelry (Tutorial)

by Rena Klingenberg. © 2003-Present Rena Klingenberg. All Rights Reserved

Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

We’re going to make lacy jewelry by Mod Podging pieces of paper lace doilies to jewelry components.

Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

You can create jewelry that’s anywhere from romantic to dramatic with simple lace cut-outs.
Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

And since you can use Mod Podge to attach things to nearly any surface, you can try this technique on lots of different jewelry components.

Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

Supplies:

  • Paper lace doilies – mine are 4″ (10cm) diameter, and I found them in the cake-decorating area of the craft section in a local store.
    I chose the smallest doily size available because the lace pattern was smaller and more suitable for jewelry.

    Paper Lace Doily (Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg)

  • Jewelry components to decorate with the lace – I used wooden 2-hole beads called “placemat tile beads”; an aluminum washer from the hardware store; and a brass jewelry pendant frame.
  • Scissors.
  • Pencil.
  • Small amount of Mod Podge – the glue / sealer for decoupage projects (be sure to read and follow the advice on the Mod Podge jar):Mod Podge (Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg)
  • Waxed paper – as a protective surface under your Mod Podge procedure.
  • Jewelry chains, cords, and findings – to turn your finished lacy components into wearable jewelry!

How to Make Lacy Jewelry:

First we’ll learn how to Mod Podge your paper lace cut-outs onto the jewelry components.

Then we’ll have more tips and techniques for creating this type of lacy jewelry.

Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

How to Mod Podge Your
Lace Cut-Out to the Jewelry Component:

Once you have your lace cut-outs, you’re ready to Mod Podge them to your beads.

Spread out a small sheet of waxed paper for a work surface.

The steps are written below this photo:

Mod Podge Instructions (Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg)

  1. Place your clean, dry jewelry component on the waxed paper.
  2. Use your fingertip to scoop up a dollop of Mod Podge, and spread it in an even layer over the entire surface of your component.
  3. Place your lace cut-out where you want it to be on your jewelry component, pressing it down onto your wet Mod Podge layer and smoothing out any bubbles or wrinkles in your paper lace.
  4. Scoop up another fingertip-full of Mod Podge and spread it evenly and smoothly over the entire top surface of your component, covering your lace as well as the bead.

After the Mod Podge dries thoroughly, apply two more coats of Mod Podge, drying completely after each coat.

To dry your Mod Podged creations faster, use a hair dryer on “Low” setting:

Drying the Mod Podge (Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg)

Move the hair dryer constantly around your creations so they dry without overheating or blowing away!

Lacy Jewelry Example 1 –
Rectangle Wooden Beads:

Here are two “before and after” examples using 2-hole rectangle wooden beads that were cut from a placemat:

2 Hole Bead Before and After (Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg)
2 Hole Bead Before and After (Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg)

When cutting out your lace shapes, you might want to experiment with the curved decorative edge that goes around the center solid circle of the doily.

That curved line can make lovely designs:

Lace Cut-Out (Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg)

Also experiment with cutting abstract shapes from the lace (this piece was a scrap leftover from other cuts):

Lace Cut-Out (Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg)

If you want to cut a piece of doily lace to fit your jewelry component, place the component on the doily and trace around it with a pencil; then cut with scissors just inside that pencil line:

Measuring for Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

The finished lacy beads make nice focals for necklaces or bracelets:

Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg
Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

To turn this 2-hole bead into a dramatic necklace, I simply strung a black cord through the holes and knotted the cord ends below the bead:

Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

Lacy Jewelry Example 2 –
Metal Washer Donut:

Here’s an aluminum washer from the hardware store, before and after:
Metal Washer (Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg)

I cut a piece of doily lace to go partway around this donut:

Paper Lace Cut-Out for Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

If you don’t want white lace, you can color it with markers, paint, alcohol inks, colored pencils, etc. before Mod Podging it onto your jewelry component.

I used a marker to put two coats of black ink on this piece of paper lace:

Coloring the Paper Lace (Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg)

After Mod Podging the entire surface of the donut, the metal has a nice “jewelry” look and feel.

Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

You could add beads and wire-wrapping on the bare metal top of this pendant.

I kept it simple with a black satin cord attached to the donut with a larks-head knot:

Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

Lacy Jewelry Example 3 –
Pendant Frame:

Here’s a brass pendant frame, before and after:

Brass Pendant Frame Before and After - Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

This pendant has two layers of paper Mod Podged to the brass frame – a small square of purple paper:

Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

. . . and a paper lace cut-out:

Paper Lace Cut-Out for Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

If you’ll be using more than one layer of paper (or whatever embellishment), dry the top coat of Mod Podge thoroughly before adding another layer of Mod Podge for the next layer of paper.

Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

To turn this lacy pendant into a necklace, I added a jump ring to the pendant’s loop, and strung a rustic chain through it:

Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

In this tutorial I’ve shown a few simple examples to get you started.

But there are a lot of other creative things you can add to this basic idea, involving things like:

  • textures
  • glitter
  • collaging
  • beads
  • rubber stamping the paper doilies
  • wirework
  • shabby-chic distressed finish
  • metal stamping
  • metal patina . . . etc.

Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

Lacy Jewelry Tutorial by Rena Klingenberg

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