Threading the Needle Day – DIY Beaded Placket

As today is “Threading the Needle Day”, it only seemed appropriate that I should post a DIY.

I thought about a beaded collar, but let’s face it…everyone has done one so what would I be adding? I had a shirt and I had the beads, I just needed to think about what I wanted to share with you.

I love a beautiful beaded collar and had originally thought that would be what I did with this sleeveless denim shirt. A little blinging up would bring some life into an otherwise average shirt I purchased at Target last summer. The problem wasn’t just not having anything new to offer if I did a collar, but also that I dislike HATE, being like everyone else!

But I already had the bits and pieces and I needed to write something that was appropriate for “Threading the Needle Day”, so I debated back and forth between beading the pocket flaps and beading the placket. I thought the pocket flaps would look too much like I had been bedazzled. So placket it was.

What? You don’t know what a placket is? No, it’s not some kind of jacket gone mad, it’s the part of the shirt where the buttons are!

I had a selection of shell beads, small glass beads and few silver jewelry rounds to work with. The only other items you’ll need are a needle and thread (how appropriate for Threading the Needle Day!), and scissors.

As I usually wear this shirt tucked in, I opted to only bead the part of the placket between the top three buttons, which would allow for tucking in without damaging any beading. Be sure to unbutton down to the spot you want to bead and only stich threw the top part of the placket – otherwise you will be stiching your shirt closed.

I simply started at the area above the lowest button and began stitching the beads on in a random manner. Whenever I used the small round glass beads I threaded three on the needle at a time so that sometimes I got a straight line of beads and sometimes I created little arches.

I continued to work my way randomly up the placket, ensuring that I left a little room around the buttonhole so I could actually button it up if I choose.

I made sure to work in smaller sections, tieing off every few centimetres (about 1 inch), just in case in the future one of the threads should break I won’t lose all the beads.

And that’s it! Simple and easy. All done while watching ANTM!

I’m really looking forward to wearing this revamped shirt this spring/summer. I won’t even have to try to figure out what necklace to wear with it because it now comes with its own bling.

What DIY creations are you making for “Threading the Needle Day”?

AND…

What do you think of beading the placket? (now that we all know what a placket is)

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