DIY beaded peter pan collar
Dress, J. CRew (via eBay); cardigan, J. Crew; shoes, Old Navy; bag, MbMJ (via eBay)

I’m not really crafty. Pretty much the only thing I DIY on the regular is my manicure, and it shows. My problem with DIY is not so much lack of interest, as lack of dexterity. I’m a fumbler. And a knocker-over of things. Stainy things. Honestly, I’m just an overgrown toddler when it comes to crafts. But for a while, a few years back, I got really into beading.

(See, I really do have a lot more in common with your grandma than just a love for upholstery florals. You should introduce us sometimes.)

Anyway, beading. Totally random hobby. One day, long before babies, I was bumming around at home (as I was wont to do in those days). I guess I must have had a sudden creative itch, because I decided to put some old beads from a long-broken bracelet to use by stitching them onto a piece of felt left over from one of my husband’s upholstery projects. (Unlike me, my husband is very handy. But, like me, he also has random hobbies.) And so began my brief obsession with beading.

I beaded a LOT in those days. My husband was living in a different city at the time (we weren’t married yet), and I had a lot of time on my hands in the evenings. Being the anti-social butterfly that I am, I loved spending those evenings alone, watching TV and beading to my little heart’s content. The combination of CSI (any CSI, but especially Original Flavour) and beading made for a wonderful mind relaxant after a shitty day at work. I made a bazillion necklace collar thingies, and other useless, assorted doodads. Like any excited toddler, I gave a bunch to my mom (who, to her credit, actually wore some once or twice), and buried the rest in my hoarding drawers.

And, lookee here, I found one of them recently.

DIY beaded peter pan collar
Why, oh, why the crazy eyes?

I went through a phase when I was obsessed with Peter Pan collars, and was never able to find one I really liked. This DIY project is the result of that. I mean, it’s not exactly Pinterest-ready, but sort of … maybe … not unwearable?

DIY beaded peter pan collar
Sans cardigan … but avec derpy face

What say you?

23 Comments on A Little DIY

    • Thanks 🙂 I’ve been feeling the itch to take up beading again, so it’s nice to hear it might not be a complete waste of time.

    • Thanks! I would say, hmmm, maybe 10-12 hours (spread out over a couple of weeks, and many, many episodes of CSI ;))
      That doesn’t include the finishing (clasp, lining on the back), which is another hour or so. The finishes are pretty, shall we say, rustic. But it looks OK, if you don’t look too closely at the back.

  5. Oh wow, I probably wouldn’t have guessed that it’s selfmade. Good job, I like it! Doesn’t it take forever to make though?
    Ditching the cardigan allows us to see your handiwork in its full glory, so yay and thanks for that 🙂

  7. it’s perfect! I’m a big fan of cardigans, but I love this one even more without it. The collar is really called to the front and I definitely think it delivers. I’d love to know more about how you made it!

    Jenn
    With Luck Blog

    • It’s pretty simple – I mean, I can do it, so it has to be 😉
      If people are interested, I can try to make a sort of how-to post … although I probably suck at doing that like I do at crafts generally.

  8. I’m a big fan of peter pan collars as well, and I think your beaded collar looks great, especially paired with your lbd.

    I’m no crafter either, but I am a fellow ginger with a four year old! Yea, gingers!

    I enjoy your blog; thanks.

    SassyinDC

  9. I love that dress…polka dots are a great pattern, and the dark on dark makes them a little more professional than white on color. And the collar is gorgeous! So awesome that you made that yourself!

  10. The collar is gorgeous! It complements the dress well. Send the hubby out with the kiddies and settle down to an afternoon of Downton Abbey and beading!

  11. I consider myself quite crafty, but I’ve never had the courage to attempt anything this intricate! It’s beautiful, consider me inspired.

    • Thanks 🙂 It’s just time-consuming, not really difficult. I’d say it requires less dexterity than knitting.
      I should add that I once looked at an actual beading how-to book, and backed away slowly. Waaay over my head (ahem, skills). My version is, like, beading for dummies.