Homemade Prom Gift: Necklace

Whether you are a boy or a girl, the easiest homemade prom gift you can give your date is a simple, hand crafted necklace. The best place to buy the necessary items will probably be your local craft and hobby store. The best part about this gift is that it is inexpensive, but still totally unique and personalized to the recipient.

You will need the strand part of the necklace and you will need a clasp, a jump ring, needle nose pliers, and a pendant. For the strand, you can either use hemp, leather, or a simple metal chain. You may wish to have a bead on either side of the pendant, but it isn't necessary. Depending on the type of clasp, you also may need additional jump rings to attach each side of the clasp to the necklace. To present the necklace, you can get a small craft box and paint it or decoupage it with photographs or pictures from magazines.

What kind of clasp you need will be determined by what you are using for the strand. A hemp or leather cord, if it is not to be a choker style necklace, can simply be tied. Otherwise, it can be made to clasp and unclasp using a large bead. A metal chain may or may not come with a clasp, but you may want to find one that is easier to open and close than the pre-installed one.

If you plan to make a choker, you will need the exact measurement of his or her neck. Otherwise, anywhere from 18 - 30 inches is a good length for a necklace strand. Choose a pendant that is as specific to the person who will be wearing it as you can get, something that will be significant to him or her, such as a basketball for someone on the team or a teddy bear for a girl who collects them - or something that represents a shared experience between the two of you. Use the pliers to attach the jump ring to the pendant, making sure it is closed securely. Slide the strand through the jump ring.

For the metal necklace, attach each side of the clasp to either end of the necklace with the pliers, using jump rings as needed. For hemp or leather, if you wish to use a bead closure, you need to tie one end of the necklace into a loop, large enough to fit over the bead, but small enough not to slide off on its own. A loop about 2/3 the size of the bead should be about right. Tie the bead securely to the other end of the necklace.