Today I am sharing my latest DIY
Vintage Brooch Cuffs!
It's a simple project
that can have a large style impact
and
give new life to some treasured pieces!
I have been collecting
Vintage Brooches for years now.
I have found many at flea markets,
some have been treasured gifts
and
even some I have made from Christmas ornaments!
I have used many in some fantastic
Signature Statement
Vintage Brooch Necklaces
I have a DIY
Here
But this year seeing all of the cuffs out right now
gave me a new idea to give some of these
beautiful Vintage pieces new life!
I have used them singularly
for fantastic
Vintage Boho Cuffs!
I am just loving the mix of the Boho leather influence
with the vintage pieces!
Making these cuffs a style statement piece
for any years to come!
And even better
this is a quick DIY once you have your supplies sourced!
I started with a brass cuff base.
You can find these online from jewelry finding suppliers
or simply repurpose any cuff you have on hand
or
find one in an inexpensive accessory store.
I cut leather strips from a thrift store skirt.
You could also cut strips from a leather chammy
that you can find in car cleaning supply departments.
I have gotten some at even Target in the past.
Or there is always the fabric store or leather supplier.
I simply cut one inch strips to wrap around the cuff base.
Leather is fabulous not only for the aesthetic and texture
but also since the edges won't fray!
Before I started wrapping the cuff
I cut two small rectangles
to finish off the side edges of the cuff.
The dimensions of these pieces
will depend on the size of your chosen cuff.
Simply wrap the sides of the cuff
to create a clean edge
folding the extra on the cuff inside.
Once the sides were covered
I simply wrapped the cuff with the leather strips
hot gluing as I went. I wanted an imperfect boho feel
so I wasn't too worried about the spacing
but doing a tidy job with the glue gun is really important!
Any of the ends were finished off inside the cuff
keeping the exterior of the cuff the focal point and finished.
The next step is an important one.
Securing the Brooch to the cuff.
Once you have your chosen piece
you need to secure it tightly to your leather cuff.
I hate to impact the backs of some of my better brooches
so I try not to cut off the pin
and
just work around the pin back.
If you are using a brooch
you are comfortable removing the pin back
it will make the securing much easier.
I find a good pair of clippers will remove the pin back easily.
Now I take some 24 gauge wire
and
almost sew around the piece
front to back
in an attempt to get a tight centered point
with the wire.
A secure center point with the wire
is what is going to allow you to secure it to the cuff.
This is the only somewhat tricky part of the project
as each Brooch is entirely different.
I think of the wire as thread and sew around the piece
back to front
in the most invisible way possible
all the time woking towards a center point to end up.
It is best to get to a center point with two doubled wires
and
the take the two in separate directions
once a secure center point is obtained
this is how you will 'tie' the Brooch to the cuff.
Find the center of the cuff
and
simply tie the Brooch to the cuff on the back
twisting the wire
to get a tight, secure Brooch placement.
Once this step is complete
simply twist the two ends together
and
press the wires firmly flat on the back of the cuff.
The final finishing step is to take one more strip of leather
to cover the exposed wire
gluing it in the front
under the brooch
and
then covering inside the cuff with the same strip.
Make sure you finish your cuff
by removing any stray glue hairs.
That's it!
You know have a one of a kind
Vintage Brooch Cuff!
Sure to be a Style Statement piece for years to come!
As always my friends
I wish you love and joy
as you style your life
