So my friend Kat from the crafty blog Urban & Proud does a Monthly Materials feature where she and her partner-in-crafty-crime use the same material all month long in their projects. When they announced the September material –coins– earlier this month I knew it was finally time to do something with my Euros I brought home from Europe, oh, seven years ago. I’ve been holding on to them for the perfect project.
I don’t really wear necklaces much but only because I can never find a necklace with a good length for me. I need something longer or else I feel like I’m being choked to death by fashion. Seriously. So making my own necklace with the perfect length for me seems ideal. I’ve never made jewelry before so lets see how this turns out.
For this project, I gathered these supplies:
-a necklace set including a chain, lobster clasp, and some little rings.
-Euros
-a center punch or other sharp object for piercing the coins {we ended up using an old ice pick because the coins are kind of soft}
-needle nose pliers
-a drill with a 1/64 inch bit
-a c-clamp for securing the coin while drilling
Step one: Secure the coin to the work surface using the c-clamp. Usingthe center punch or ice pick, gently tap the coin to make an indent. This will help keep the drill bit from drifting when we start to drill.
Step two: Drill! Try to stay as straight up and down as possible and use a little pressure to push the drill through. These coins were not very hard so drilling was pretty easy.
Step three: Remember to reverse the drill and pull out the bit 😉
Step four: Admire our handy work! So easy and it took about 5.7 seconds, give or take a second or two.
Next, it’s time to add the little rings to the chain-one on each end. Add the lobster clasp to one of the rings before securing it to the chain.
So, the rings included in the set were too small to connect the coins to the chain so I raided Thom’s tackle box and found these split rings from some of his swivels. They were the perfect size. Score for me and possibly for some fish {just kidding-Thom’s a catch-and-release kind of guy}.
I also had this little Eiffel Tower trinket that I found ages ago on the ground somewhere. I have a habit of picking stuff up because I “may use it someday.”
I think it turned out pretty darned good for my first piece of jewelry!
I’m loving wearing a reminder of my time in Paris & Rome! Thanks to Kat & Amanda for a fun Monthly Materials suggestion!
That is awesome and gorgeous! I love it!!!
Okay. Passing this one on to my small one with the agreement that I will purchase materials if she will use some of our collective coins and momentos to make us each a necklace or two. Thanks for the inspiration Gina.
Love this…and loved traveling with you! I think I'll make one too! 🙂
Gina, I love this. I know exactly what you mean about being choked to death by fashion. I have a bunch of necklaces I need to lengthen…
Thanks Lenette! It was so easy 🙂
This would be a fun project for teens and/or pre-teens. Take pics!
Sweet friend! It was SO much fun that one night in Rome!
Thank you, Talya. I'm always bummed because there are such cute necklaces out there but I can't wear them.
That is just the coolest idea. I'm gonna dig up some of my coins and "bribe" you to do this for me — I'll have to bribe the grands to get them back first.
I'd pretty much do anything for your Biscoff Oreo cookie dip 😉
It looks great! I'm impressed by your drilling skills 😉
So cute! Is it heavy?
This looks like something even I could do! Well, let's not get toooooo excited…
Not heavy at all! The coins themselves are lightweight but thicker than our coins.
You most def could do this. So easy!
nice post 😉 I had someone to help me to drill a hole to my coin..but the coin ended up have a bulge on the other side of the coin…not sure if he's doing it wrong or what…may I ask what kind of drill u use? rmp? thanks a lot 😉