How to make a necklace display

I wanted some displays I could use for a number of necklaces.  In addition, I wanted to be able to store them without having to remove the necklaces and  they had to fit in my plastic tote.

I went to the local hardware store and bought 5 feet of 4 inch drain pipe, three end caps and three knock out caps.  The end caps were over 7 dollars a piece and the knock out caps which I found later at Home Depot  were only 38 cents.  So if you want to save money you can buy the knock out caps for each end.  However, the end caps do add some weight to the bottom of the display.  I have also placed a bean bag inside for more weight.

The pipe was cut into length with a chop saw, but any hand saw would do the job as well. I wanted mine stepped so they were cut 22,20, 18 inches.  The necklaces displayed are on the shortest one. For foam I used a carpet pad which I also purchased at the hardware store.I

First end of pad duct taped to pipe.

My initial thought was to use Contact Cement to glue the carpet pad onto the drainpipe.  However , the carpet pad was pretty stiff so I decided to just use good old duct tape instead.  I rolled the pad around the pipe and cut it to fit.   With the thickness of my carpet pad it turned out to be 17 and a half inches. I then rolled the pipe onto the pad and duct taped the other end..  Not all that attractive, but it is going to be totally covered up by the velvet.

Old velvet curtain that I used in my booth for a number of years came in handy to make a cover for the tube.  The velvet was very slick on the back and also had some stretch to it so it worked perfectly.  After I made the tube, I pulled it over the pipe with foam.  I put some glue along the bottom and top of the foam to hold the velvet.  I cut the velvet long and also tucked it down behind the foam at the top so there was a nice edge.  I wanted the tops to open because I plan on having them double as storage for other jewelry. 

Measuring length and width needed.

Sewing the tube on my old singer sewing  machine

I wasn't happy with the contrast between the white knock out caps and the velvet.  I considered gluing velvet on the caps, but I had run out of glue and just so happened to have some purple spray paint.  So I sprayed some paint on the white tops and called it good enough for now. Might have made another decision if I lived in town, but I live in the back woods and wasn't willing to drive 15 miles to buy glue.

 I used the couple of feet of foam I had left into bracelet displays.  Again I used duct tape and made them into an oval shape.  My bracelets are oval , not round like the bracelet displays I have so they never look quite right on them.  Really look lots better on the oval displays.  Hope this gives you an idea of a way to make a display for yourself.  Love to hear about displays you have made. 

Three displays should hold 20 pieces all together

Repurposed Jewelry Displays - Do It Yourself

Earth Day will soon be upon us and jewelry displays can easily be found at thrift stores. I like the part of the Goodwill that has metal "stuff", candle holders, CD racks, hooks etc.  This is usually really close to the tins (which of course make great jewelry).  So here are a few examples of things I have found. 

 

Cassette Display - Who Needs That

I Do.  Great for pin

 I like to look for things that can be turned on the side or upside down and become something useful.  When I saw the little slats of wood, I immediately knew this was exactly what I needed for the twenty or so pins I make.  Since many of them are made from bottle caps and recycled tins it seemed perfect that the display was also something I had repurposed.

I have a wide range of items I offer and differing price ranges.  For my expensive one of a kind pieces, I use the traditional black velvet busts and jewelry trays you can purchase.  For my "production" pieces like OM Rocks, Trashy Tinsel, bracelets and such the repurposed displays are perfect.  I can hang lots of jewelry on them and people seem to like to "dig". 

Scale with missing trays

 

Candle holder turned upside down

I love things with arms and swirls.  I can hang tons on these pieces and they don't take up a lot of table space.  This leaves more space in the booth for my upper end art pieces of jewelry.  Pillar candle holders are great turned upside down and screwed to a board to broaden the base.  There always seems to be a number of these at the thrift stores. I bet people get them as gifts :-)

With the help of my husband who is handy with a saw I have a box repurposed into an earring display. While I am no carpenter, what I understand is that grooves were cut into wood with a table saw.  The earring cards hang on this groove.  The boards were glued to the back of the box with waterproof wood glue.

What I really love about this, is I can just close it up and take it with me at the end of the day.  No more time spent hanging up earrings and taking them off  to store them.  This box was given to me by a coin collector, but the same thing could be done with those old boxes that stored flatware. Heck, you can make jewelry out of the silverware and repurpose the box too.

Would love to hear what others are doing to recycle, upcycle and repurpose.  Save our planet and Happy Hunting.