Roaring 1920s Flapper Fringe Jewelry (Tutorial)
by Rena Klingenberg.
It all started when I designed this chain fringe bracelet that’s reminiscent of the 1920s flapper era:
I realized that with a bit of extra chain, this bracelet could be turned into a flapper-style headband:
Then I saw that it could also be turned into a choker-length flapper necklace:
. . . and finally, with more chain, it makes a fantastic long necklace with a fringed bib:
My Inspiration for This Jewelry Set:
One of my grandmothers had a lifelong interest in fashion design, and I’m sure that as a young woman in the 1920s, she rocked the flapper style.
So I set out to design a fringey flapper bracelet with the jewelry supplies I inherited from her – and wound up designing an entire jewelry set!
Supplies:
- Charm-bracelet style chain, long enough to go around your wrist.
My charm-bracelet chain is brass and has 28 links, which enabled me to attach 28 pieces of chain fringe to it.
- Thinner, slinkier chain for your fringe – you’ll need several feet of it.
I used this brass chain. There were miles of it in Grandma’s jewelry supply stash:
- Additional amounts of the same chain you use for the fringe – if you want to make the flapper headband, choker, or long necklace.
(You’ll attach this chain to the ends of your bracelet to make the headband strap and necklaces.) - Clasp for your bracelet, headband, or necklace.
I used a foldover clasp that was with the charm-bracelet chain in Grandma’s supplies. - Jump rings – one for each end of your bracelet chain.
Mine are 8mm size. - Small jump rings – one for each piece of your chain fringe (I used 28 of them).
Mine are 5 mm size. - Flat nose pliers.
- Chain nose pliers.
- Ruler – for measuring your pieces of chain fringe.
- Wire cutter for cutting your chain.
How to Make
the Flapper Fringe Bracelet:
We’ll start by making the bracelet, because it’s used in all of the pieces in this jewelry set.
Lay out your wrist-length piece of charm-bracelet chain and count the number of links in this chain:
Now get out your thinner chain that you’ll use for making the fringe pieces:
We need one piece of chain fringe for each link in the charm-bracelet chain.
My charm-bracelet chain has 28 links, so I’ll cut 28 pieces of chain fringe.
I cut my chain fringe pieces in random lengths from 0.75″ to 2.75″ (20mm to 70mm), with 14 of the pieces longish lengths, and 14 of them shortish lengths.
Use your ruler to measure each piece of fringe:
Then cut the piece of fringe from the chain:
And keep cutting long and short fringe pieces until you have enough for each link in your charm-bracelet chain.
Lay the fringe pieces out in the order you’ll use them, and make sure you like the layout of the lengths.
I highly recommend alternating short and long fringe pieces:
Open all of your smaller jump rings – one for each piece of fringe (I’ve opened 28 jump rings):
Thread one of the opened jump rings into the first link of your charm-bracelet chain:
Then hang the first piece of fringe on that jump ring:
. . . and twist the jump ring shut again:
Use another jump ring to attach the second piece of fringe to the second link on your charm-bracelet chain:
And continue adding a piece of fringe to each charm-bracelet link:
. . . until each link has a piece of fringe hanging from it:
Now get out your clasp and your two larger jump rings.
Twist both of these jump rings open:
Thread one of these jump rings into the first link of your charm-bracelet chain:
Then string your clasp onto the jump ring, and twist the jump ring shut:
Attach the second jump ring to the last link on the opposite end of your charm-bracelet chain:
Now your flapper fringe bracelet is finished:
A closeup of the clasp:
Wear the bracelet with the fringe hanging downward:
And enjoy the the motion of your fringe as you wear the bracelet!
How to Make
the Flapper Fringe Headband:
Start by making the flapper fringe bracelet (instructions above) – but omit the clasp, so that the ends of the charm-bracelet chain finish with the larger jump rings.
To finish my headband chain, I used the same type of chain I used for the bracelet fringe.
Cut a piece of this chain to your desired length to finish off the headband, and attach the ends to the jump rings at the ends of your bracelet.
Use bobby pins to secure your headband to your hair, so you can wildly do the Charleston dance (and other flapper dances)!
How to Make
the Flapper Fringe Choker:
Start by making the flapper fringe bracelet (instructions above).
To finish my choker chain, I used the same type of chain I used for the bracelet fringe.
Cut a piece of this chain to your desired length to finish off the choker, and attach one end of it to the end of your bracelet that ends with a larger jump ring.
For the choker’s closure:
Attach a jump ring to the unfinished end of the chain you just cut, so you can fasten it to the clasp end of your bracelet.
Now when you wear this choker, the fringe makes a lovely bib lying over your collarbone:
How to Make
the Flapper Fringe Long Necklace:
Long necklaces were a major feature of the flapper fashion era.
To make yours, start by making the flapper fringe bracelet (instructions above) – but omit the clasp, so that the ends of the charm-bracelet chain finish with the larger jump rings.
To finish my long necklace chain, I used the same type of chain I used for the bracelet fringe.
Cut a piece of this chain to your desired length to finish off the long necklace, and attach its ends to the jump rings at the ends of your bracelet.
No clasp is needed for this long necklace – you can simply slip it on over your head.
