Meet your newest conversation piece. You can wear it two ways and make it in 15 minutes flat. It’s made of yarn, but no knitting is required! Use a fabulous variegated yarn to make the necklace especially complimentworthy. Beautiful metal jump rings, a chain, and a clasp are easier to add than you may first believe, and they elevate humble finger knitting into a stunning showstopper.
I’m so excited to share this finger-knit project from my newly released book “Knitting Without Needles,” from the Potter Craft imprint of Penguin Random House (Martha’s publisher, too)! The book is filled with 30 innovative and modern finger and arm knitting projects perfect for knitters and non-knitters alike. People of all ages find it easy to pick up these crafts, and with the new techniques introduced in this book, there’s a whole range of gorgeous accessories, home goods, and things for play at your fingertips — literally! The book includes easy-to-follow step-by-step photographs for every project and every technique.
Now let’s get started making this fabulous statement necklace!
Materials
- 18 yd (16.5m) of worsted-weight yarn, combining 3-x-6-yard (5.5m) lengths (I used Manos del Uruguay Clasica in Caribe, 138 yd [126m], 31⁄2 oz [100g], 100% merino wool)
- 4 jump rings
- chain, approximately 18 inches (45.5cm) long
- jewelry clasp
- Finger-Knitting How-To PDF
- needle-nose pliers
- ruler or tape measure
- wire cutters
Directions
1. Leave a 12-inch (30.5cm) tail of yarn and cast on a four-finger knit strand (click here for the Finger-Knitting How-To PDF).
2. Knit 14 rows, or until the piece measures approximately 7 inches (18cm) long (A). Tip: Do not pull on the cast-on tail of the finger knitting, which will roll the sides of the knit fabric in toward each other, forming a tube. If you don’t pull on the end, the piece will remain flat from side to side; however, the beginning and the end of the strand will naturally start to curl toward each other, like a smile, which is what you want.
3. Bind off the strand (see Finger-Knitting How-To PDF) without pulling too tight such that the end of the necklace matches the rest of the piece (B).
4. Bring the working yarn through the last stitch to the knit side. Weave the yarn end into the knit side (C).
5. Hide the yarn as you go (D), and trim the end.
6. Return to the beginning of the finger-knit strand, weave in the end and trim.
7. Using wire cutters, cut 2 pieces of chain to 7 inches (18cm), or desired length.
8. Place the necklace with the purl side facing up and curving like a smile. Using needle-nose pliers, open a jump ring, thread one piece of chain on it, and run the jump ring through the small top corner stitch of the necklace. Close the jump ring with needle-nose pliers, making sure the ring ends match up exactly as it closes (E). Repeat on the other side of the necklace.
9. Using the pliers, open another jump ring and loop it through the end of one of the chain pieces and one of the clasp pieces. Close the jump ring with the pliers. Repeat on the other side of the necklace (F).
That’s it! You’re done. It’s ready to wear! Don’t forget it’s reversible, just flip it over to wear on the other side, like Morgan below.
Which side do you like better? Now, you just have to make one for all your friends!
For more wonderful projects and tutorials made exclusively for MarthaStewart.com, see Anne’s profile. Or, find lots of fabulous Finger and Arm Knitting project’s in Anne’s book, Knitting Without Needles!
SOURCE:http://www.marthastewart.com/1500297/yarn-statement-necklace-requires-no-needles