Difficulty level: Intermediate
Time required: 2 hours
Age range: 12 and up

Things you’ll need:
Cotton balls
Fat quarter
Fabric scissors and/or rotary cutter
Ruler
Sewing pins
Safety pin
Sewing machine and coordinating thread
Dowel or other wooden stick

Things to do:
1. Cut the fat quarter into two strips that are each 3 1/2 ” wide.

2. Place the right sides of the long strips together, then pin the short end of the strip.

3. Sew the short end of the strip together using a 1/4 ” seam allowance. You should now have one long strip of fabric.

4. Using scissors or a rotary cutter, trim the seam allowance close to the seam, being careful not to cut into the seam. This will reduce the bulk of the strip.

5. Fold the strip in half with the right sides together. Pin the long edge of the strip using sewing pins.

6. Sew the long edge of the strip together using a 1/4 ” seam allowance.

7. Pin a safety pin through the edge of one end of the fabric.

8. Turn the strip right side out by inserting the safety pin into the tube. Continue to push the safety pin through the fabric to the other side of the tube.

9. Pull the safety pin out the other end of the strip.

10. Pull the safety pin until the entire strip is right side out.

11. Tie a knot in the fabric about 8″ from one end. Note that if you want a necklace that’s a bit longer, you can tie the knot farther away from the end to create more length.

12. Grab a cotton ball and place it through the end of the tube that is not tied in a knot.

13. Using a dowel or other type of wooden stick, push the cotton ball through the tube until it rests next to the knot.

14. Tie another knot on the other side of the cotton ball, tying it so that the cotton ball is snug between the two knots.

15. Continue adding cotton balls and tying knots until the length from the last knot matches the opposite side of the necklace.

16. Tuck the ends of the fabric inside, then sew across the edge to prevent fraying. Repeat for the other side of the necklace.