DIY Bib Necklace with a pretty mosaic

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Make a beautiful DIY bib necklace to dress up a plain top! It’s fun to add a freeform or symmetrical mosaic-inspired design, and it’s a great jewelry making craft for when you want to get creative and add your own touch.

Whenever I’m wearing a plain top, I’m always on the lookout for something eye-catching that matches the bottom that can dress things up. This DIY bib necklace is so much fun to make –  and inexpensive too! So you can make one for every pair of pants that you tend to wear with a simple tee.

I created a floral-inspired mosaic but you can do anything. I showed you how my creative process worked, but you can just to simple patterns if you want.

Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.

I started with a moon-shaped piece of felt and worked from there. I intended to trim it to fit the mosaic before finishing the piece, but I forgot.

After I finished photographing it, I realized my mistake. In my opinion, it looks great both ways.

I decided to start right by experimenting with a cheap, easy, and kid-friendly glue to bring down the minimum age level for the fun part – the mosaic. Tacky glue worked great from the start – holding the mother-of-pearl beads in place until it dried, and remaining durable afterward.

What you need to make a DIY bib necklace:

•  Felt
• Tacky glue
• Mother of pearl nugget beads in fun colors (that’s what I used but if you have other options that may work go ahead and give them a try!)
• A hole punch that fits at least 20 sheets or detail scissors (to make the holes in the felt)
• Thick cable chain – 10-11 x 6mm is perfect
• Thin satin ribbon or something similar in a coordinating color (1/8 inch is perfect)
• Large lobster claw or spring ring clasp with a large enough opening to fit over your cable chain. (If you can’t find one, just add in a few jump rings at the end of your cable chain to close it.)
• Jewelry making pliers (two pairs – chain nose and/or round nose or similar to pry open links)

How to make a DIY bib necklace:

Step 1: Draw and cut out a half moon shape as pictured in a size and proportion that fits comfortably just below your collar bone.

Step 2: Create your design by gluing on the beads using generous amounts of tacky glue. While you can (and should) really do your own design, here’s how I did mine. I placed a large circle of glue in the middle and began arranging my beads.

I built on the design as I went along, with a purple flower in the middle and a fuchsia ring around it. 

I created a squiggle on each side to represent foliage and lined it with green beads. 

I finished the pattern off with more fuchsia accents and a purple ring to pull it together. 

Step 3: Punch or cut a hole in the two corners of your felt moon. Don’t do it too close to the edge as you need it to be strong enough to withstand its own weight. Measure and tie a piece of ribbon to each end, allowing enough length to hang just below your collar bone. Add a bit of extra length to allow for knots and weaving.

Step 4: Dot a bit of glue in the knots and trim. Attach the end of your cable chain to the hole on the felt.

Step 5: Weave your ribbon through your chain, stopping when you reach the desired length of chain (allow it to reach just below your collar bone to the back of your neck, but leave a little chain empty of ribbon just in case). Knot in place and add a bit of glue to secure the knot. Repeat on the second side, but leave an extra few links of chain to allow your DIY bib necklace to be adjustable.

Step 6: Attach your clasp to one half of the chain and close it around the other half

Step 7 (optional): Trim around your design, keeping it symmetrical, to make a pretty scalloped shape.

Your necklace is now ready to wear!

This DIY BIB NECKLACE is more than just a piece of jewelry! It’s an accessory that adds that perfect finishing touch to complement your outfit. I especially love wearing such things when pregnant, as I tend to have simpler tees make up much of my wardrobe.

The brightly colored freshwater pearl nuggets add a beautiful luster, and the ribbon threaded through the chain complete the punch of color.  It’s a very open-ended craft – you  can create any design you’d like with any beads, and you can use a large variety of cords and chains for finishing it off (try just the thick cable or a thicker ribbon, do a thinner chain but double it up, try rattail or leather cord….)

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