Making Chokers

Wear a ribbon choker bare or with a decorative piece in the middle.

Queen Alexandra of England popularized the choker, which she wore to hide a scar on her neck. This made the choker an instant item of high fashion. A choker is a necklace that fits snugly around the neck, usually with a charm in the middle of the ribbon or chain. While most stores that carry women's accessories often have a range of chokers, you can easily create your own.

Things You'll Need

• Ribbon
• Scissors
• Ribbon clamps
• Plastic jaw Pliers
• 2 jump rings
• Needle-nose pliers
• 1 lobster clasp
• 1 extension chain
• Brooch, bow or bead

Instructions

1. Wrap a piece of ribbon of any width you like around your neck so that it is snug but not tight. Cut it so that it is approximately an inch shorter than the circumference of your neck.

2. Select a pair of ribbon clamps that are the same width as the ribbon. Place a ribbon clamp on either end of your piece of cut ribbon and press the metal clamps down with a pair of pliers so that they each tightly grip each end of the ribbon.

3. Place your pliers in the exact middle of each ribbon clamp and press down. Continue pressing down, but work your pliers outward to the end of the clamp and then back to the middle again. Press the pliers down firmly in the middle again and then back out to the other side.

4. Open a jump ring with a pair of needle-nose pliers. Slide a lobster claw clasp on the jump ring. Thread the open jump ring with clasp onto one loop on the end of the ribbon clamp. Close the jump ring again.

5. Open another jump ring with a pair of needle nosed pliers and slide it into the loop on the other ribbon clamp. Loop an extension chain through that jump ring and close the jump ring with your pliers.

6. Pin a brooch, clip on a bow, or sew on a large, decorative bead in the middle, if you like.

References

• "Jewelrymaking through history: an encyclopedia;" Rayner W. Hesse; 2007
• Ribbon Choker: Tutorial