ridiculously easy teething necklace
OK there is A LOT of teething going on around here. Like A LOT. Ella will essentially chew on everything, anything and all things. She especially loved the beads Anneliese had so I thought I could do something wooden. And cute. So I made a necklace. No, not for her. For meeeee. Because since I’m usually holding her and she’s trying to chew on my face (no, really, she’ll put ANYTHING in her mouth) she can grab this. Alternatively this could be shortened and left in a string for her to chew on (or tied in a circle like a standard teething ring). Or she can just take it off me. (But in that instance I would remove the ribbon so she doesn’t swallow it cause she would TOTALLY swallow it)
Here it is:
Get this stuff.
~a piece of fabric at least 44 inches long (or sew some together to equal that length)
~beads: 1 inch (9 or more or less)
~ribbon: 2 feet
~scissors, sewing machine
FYI: This uses small beads. That are a choking hazard. See:
*Don’t worry we are going to take an extra precaution.
First cut your fabric into a 3.5 inch X 44 inch strip. I use a rotary cutter cause I’m cool like that.
Then, sew it using a 1/4 inch seam:
Then, just to be safe, cause we don’t want any baby to choke, sew it AGAIN at 1/8th inch. If you want to be really really sure sew it a third time:
Then turn it inside out (I used a safety pin) and tie a knot about 4 inches from one end:
And stuff and bead in there:
And tie another knot and do it again. (It’s helpful if you twist the fabric a bit before you knot it so it’s tight):
(zIt’s also helpful if you get a manicure before you post a blog tutorial that features your sad hands.)
Keep doing this until you have about six inches left. This for me was 9 beads. (Perfect cause 9 is my favorite number):
Then tie a length of ribbon about a foot long to each end and cut off the excess ribbon/fabric (make sure and cut the ribbon on the diagonal or somethin fancy like that so it doesn’t unravel on you). It’s awesome that ‘fray’ is in because you don’t have to sew the ends. BUT if you want to, tuck the ends in and sew the ribbon inside. I did not.
Because I’m lazy.
And that’s it:
Like I said if you’d like to make this more of a teething ring then just make it shorter (5 or 6 beads probably) and tie the ends together.
I like it cause it’s cute (even if it is a little more than I’d usually wear for jewelry) and functional. And Ella, well she put it right in her mouth. Approved!
So adorable! I’m going to make one for myself anyway, even though I have no teething babies at home. :)
Great idea! Pretty and functional. Love it!
that is very cute. I will have to look for beads to make one.
Someday I will be the kind of woman that can put a necklace on and not feel like everyone is starting at it. Isn’t that weird. I can’t wear necklaces. Quick! Someone call the girl police.
I can’t wait to go out and buy this stuff tomorrow! First, I have to find my instructional DVD on how to thread the bobbin on my sewing machine! I always have to. Thanks for posting, you’re a genius!!!
Adorable! Can;t wait to make these for my Daughters :)
Just made this and it turned out great! Thanks for the tut!
i just made one of these and i strung the beads on a long string before i tied all of the knots. i was worried about one of the beads getting out and this way if the fabric fails the bead wont pop out. i hope this helps!! :D
oh and if you tuck the ribbon inside the fabric and tie it in with the first knot it wont untie!
Good tips!
I finally received my sewing machine today and have been dying to make this necklace. My son is 2 months old so he is not teething yet but has started to pull on my necklaces. I chose a black and white pattern for the fabric because it’s supposed to stimulate a baby’s brain. In all reality, they love to stare at black, white, and red so I figured my color scheme would be perfect for him!
AWESOME!! Can’t wait to hear how it turns out!
ruddy marvellous!
thankyou, will be making one of these definately! or several…
:D
thankyou!
x+x-x
THANKS so much for this tutorial. I’ve been looking online for some to buy since my little one is putting anything and EVERYTHING in her mouth these days. I didn’t realize they were so easy to make on my own. It’s on my list for a project this weekend!
Thanks again. :)
Love this! Do they wash well?
Definitely need this! How do you clean it though (with the the wooden beads)? I imagine my baby drooling all over it over and over again.
You rock girl! I am going shocking right now……….
Thanks so much for the great tutorial! I got the wooden beads today and can’t wait to get started! :)
Love it! Got the supplies and made one of my own, my daughter still prefers her hands but loves to play with it. Just wondering… My husband was really worried about possible mold from the wood or spit in the knots (the wet fabric covering the wood). I assured him it will dry and I will wash it, but do you have any ideas of how I could reassure him that she won’t die from a homemade necklace? Haha, thanks!
Kiki. I just wash them in the machine and dry them. A little vinegar in the wash keeps bacteria away :)
Thanks :)
thank you so much for this great tutorial! cannot wait to make for my grumpy teething son :)
What about putting little super balls instead of wood beads? It would feel good to chew and wash well.
Ok, call me a moron – but how are you using a safety pin to turn it inside out? I am breaking a sweat here trying to get it inside out. :-(
Eoth it inside out pin one end then push it inside the tube and push through. Does that make sense?
Hi! I love how you made the necklace. I wish to make one to wear for my youngest. However, I am having a hard time picturing how to ” tuck the ends in and sew the ribbon inside”.
Can you explain it a little more?
Do you mean to knot it after the last bead, stick the ribbon inside the small open part of the fabric that is left, sew it together (ribbon inside of the fabrics and then make the final knot?
Also, since the necklace will become wet after my daughter has it in her mouth for a while, how does the necklace feel against your skin? How long does it take to dry?
I just made one of these for a baby shower gift! I’m not the most experienced seamstress, but it turned out ADORABLE and was a fun, fast project. Thank you!!!!
1 inch is still way too small for a teething child. No way to make this safe , it only takes one tooth popping thru and cloth torn, bead in mouth. Not worth the gamble. Otherwise cute for grownups but not for kids.