Project #29 The Stamped Washer Necklace Tutorial

Challenge: Crafty project with household items

Project: Stamped washer necklace

Hooray for my first non-sewing project this year.

We (and when I say we I really mean I) made a commitment this Christmas to try to make at least 90% of our gifts this year. So far we are on track and I will be sharing our progress through the next two months (kind of cheating as I have to make at least 22 more projects before the end of the year to make my 52 project goal). To make things even more interesting, I am trying to use what I already have to make all of these gifts. 

One of the challenges is that I have to try and make gifts that even teenagers will want. This is my attempt at a homemade teen gift. I have seen a lot of really great hand stamped jewelry around lately and I decided to give it a try. 

It does not require a lot of equipment:

Hammer

Washers

Black Permanent Marker

Cording

Rubbing Alcohol

Letter Stamping Kit (I got my 36 piece 1/8" steel letter/number stamping kit from Harbor Freight tools.)

After some struggling with spacing, I decided to mark the washer for each letter.

Position letter on washer and hit with hammer two or three times keeping letter steady. 

ALERT: Most important part of this whole tutorial. Make sure you are doing this on a hard surface, like cement or marble. A table will not work. I tried to use a table and could hardly make an impression on the washer after 20 consecutive strikes with the hammer. 

After the all the letters are on your washer, color over them with a permanent marker (I use Sharpie).

To wipe away the excess, use some rubbing alcohol with a paper towel.

I made one for each of my girls for Christmas. On the front I put their names.

On the back I put a virtue that I wished for them in their lives right now.

A mother's wish for her daughters that they can wear.