For this year’s (i.e. 2022) Halloween I and my family have decided to dress as various characters from the Harry Potter Movies. One of them will be Luna Lovegood and in this blog post I would like to show you how to make a butterbeer cork necklace that is supposed to keep away Nargles (small magical creatures):
- How to prepare the bottle cork pendant
- How to make the beaded necklace
- How to complete the Luna Lovegood necklace
For the blue necklace you will need the following:
- Scissors
- Light blue beads
- Thin clear nylon cord (fishing line/fishing string)
- Straight bottle cork
- Eye pin (or screw eye pin)
- Necklace closure and a ring (optional)
- Bead cap – not too rounded bead cap (optional)
- Open jump ring – slightly larger than one bead (optional)
If you use a bead cap, make sure the hole in its centre is wide enough to accommodate a screw pin or an eye pin. Also that the bead cap is a flat one.
How to prepare the bottle cork pendant
First, let’s have a look how to prepare the bottle cork pendant that hangs in the middle of the necklace.
1. Place the bead cap (if you use one) in the centre of the bottle cork. It is not necessary to glue it or secure in any other way (see the image below).
2. Slowly push the eye pin through the middle of the bead cap and bottle cork as you do not want to bend the eye pin. If you use a screw eye pin, slide it through the bead cap hole and screw in the bottle cork centre.
3. Lastly put an open jump ring on the eye pin (or screw pin) and the bottle cork is ready! If you do not use an open jump ring, please read the instructions for beading the necklace carefully.
How to prepare the beaded necklace
1. Now, that the cork is ready, we can start making the beaded necklace. First, measure the length you will need for the nylon cord. The cork pendant should hang approximately in the middle of the chest. Add extra 20 cm (8 inch) to this length. (In this tutorial, it will be 75 cm + 20 cm = 95 cm / 30 inch + 8 inch = 38 inch).
2. Cut two pieces of nylon cord of corresponding length.
3. Secure the first bead to prevent all the beads from slipping away from the nylon cord. Simply loop the string through the bead and pull both ends of the cord (see the schemes below). Make sure you leave about 10 cm (4 inch) on one side while the rest of the string on the other side of the first bead.
4. Bead one of the cords completely. You do not need a beading needle. The cord is stiff enough so it is easy to pick the beads.
Make sure that the last bead is about 10 cm (4 inch) away from the end of the nylon cord. Then secure the last bead the same way you secured the first one.
5. Bead the second nylon string. After you have beaded one half of the cord and did not use an open jump ring, string the pendant using the eye of the pin (see the image below). You need to do this if the eye of the pin is smaller than the beads.
6. In case you used na open jump ring, just continue beading the second string the very same way as the first one and add the pendant after beading it completely.
Completing the bottle cork Luna Lovegood necklace
1. With the bottle cork pendant on one of the beaded strings, connect the two strings (see the scheme below). Do not cut away the excess cord yet!
2. Finish the necklace by tying the ends of both nylon cords (image on the left) or by using a closure and ring (image on the right).
Make sure you tie the knots properly so that they do not untie while wearing the necklace. I recommend using a closure and a ring if you have long hair like Luna :). Putting the necklace on and taking it off will be much more convenient.
Now your DIY Luna Lovegood necklace is ready! No need to worry about Nargles anymore :). Now you can make other parts of Luna’s costume. Like the black skirt with space pattern or beaded radish earrings.
