I Saved $366

Spotted in In Style magazine: Hacienda Montaecristo necklace. $376. What?! $376? Are they nuts? I'd actually seen the same necklace over the summer somewhere, but without the attribution or price. I thought it was a cute, so when I came across these beads-in-a-tube-of-fabric necklaces at a Carrefour store in Spain, I thought, "Aha! I can make that necklace!" I bought all they had, for about $10, total.

Of course, once I got home, they sat untouched. I kept trying to wear them as-is, but it never looked right, because they're all one length. All those ties at the back were also really bulky and unattractive.

Seeing the $376 again was the encouragement I needed to spur me into action. I set to work, cutting each strand to a different length and then sewing them together. I used fabric scraps to cover the raw edges at the ends. I didn't fuss too much with that part, because no one will ever see it.

And here's the finished product! I'm happy with how it came out, despite having fewer strands than I'd have liked. If I'd planned ahead a little more, I probably could have bulked it up a little more by making the whole thing shorter and cutting two strands from each original necklace. But once I finished, I realized I could also wear this version doubled up and closer to my neck. Maybe it's better this way? More versatile?