This DYI multiple bracelet display pillow is very simple and takes very little fabric and time to create. I came up with the idea out of need and very little time. You can of course purchase these items from a jewelry display company, but I like the idea that I can make them out of scraps and also I can make any color I wish for any type of display I might want or need. It is a sewing project perfect for a beginner, so it is terrific to teach a young girl or boy how to sew, and they have a fun way to organize all those rubber band bracelets. 

*This project can be done by hand if you do not have or wish to use a sewing machine

     Supplies
   1. Muslin and matching thread (use what ever fabric scraps you want)
    2. Stuffing
    3. Ruler and scissors
    4. Sewing machine and sharp needle in the appropriate size for you fabric choice
    5. Hand sewing needle

     Directions
    1. Cut a rectangle that is 13"x 8" out of your muslin (you can of course choose a shorter or longer length,  and you can make the width smaller, however I would avoid making the width bigger, since most bracelets measure 6-7.5 inches around.) 

    2. Fold the fabric in half length wise, with the right sides together, and pin all around, leaving a three inch opening at the center of the length. Cut corner 1/8" from tip to make 

    3. Sew all around on a 1/2" seam allowance leaving on either side of the opening (make sure to back stitch at the opening to avoid the stitch coming undone).

    4. Turn the fabric right side out and stuff the tube full so it is taught but not warped and buckling. 

    5. Hand stitch the opening closed and layer on the bracelets!

     I came up with this jewelry bust re-cover project out of need. I wanted to change all my jewelry bust displays from black to a lighter color. I found them available , however they were more expensive than buying new ones, and the colors where not what I wanted to use. Since I hate to waste money, I decided to come up with my own pattern. This also opened up my options, I can make them washable and I can change the color when ever I like.

*This project can be hand sewn, but it will be tricky to do this way because of the stretch in the elastic and fabric.

     Supplies
   1. 2 way stretch velvet (you can also use any stretch fabric you like) and matching thread
    2. 1/2" elastic
   3. Measuring tape
    4. Paper and pencil
    5. Scissors
    6. Sewing machine and size 12-14 ball point needle
    7. Jewelry bust to cover

     Directions
    1. Lay the jewelry bust upside down and trace the outside of the bust, rolling it if necessary.

    2. Add 1 1/2"- 2" to the patter all around (I chose to not cover the base, if you wish to cover it add more to the bottom of the pattern) and mark the center of the top and bottom.

    3. Using your pattern cut out the fabric and mark all the notches you made on the pattern for the centers. Just snip on the lines in about 1/4" or less to mark the center top and bottom.

    4. Measure the outside circumference, divide it by two and add 1". This is the length to cut you elastic. ( Exp. If outer measurement is 12" you do 12/2+1 =7" and your elastic should be 7") 

     5. Fold the elastic and mark the center of the elastic with a pin.

     6. Beginning at the center bottom  of the fabric, sew the elastic to the fabric by stretch it to keep the fabric smooth Use a zig zag stitch on a wide setting and try to keep the elastic on the edge of the fabric so it looks clean and neat. Make sure to match the center top and of the fabric to the center of the elastic as you go. You should have an overlap of 1/2" at the end.

    7.  Roll the elastic in again towards the center and sew with a straight stitch making it smooth so the fabric makes no bubbles. (This step is optional. It makes for a very clean neat back but is not necessary.)

    11. You are done! Cover the jewelry bust, put a necklace on it and admire the new fresh look!

     I did this ring tray re-cover project to clean up my ring tray and to brighten up and show off my rings better. It was so super easy and made a world of difference in how you could see the color and detail of the rings, plus it really made taking pictures of my adjustable ring so much clearer. Not only can you make one in less than an hour, but they are inexpensive to make and washable to boot! 

* This project can be hand sewn if you do not have, or wish to use a sewing machine

     Supplies
    1. Measuring tape or ruler
    2. Paper and pencil to make pattern
    3. Scissor
    4. Thin small spatula
    5. Muslin and matching thread
    6. Sewing machine with small sharp needle(size 9 or 11)

     Directions
    1. Measure the tray foam insert width and length. To turn this into a pattern add 1" to the width, then Double the length and add 1/2" to that also. Transfer these measurements to paper to create a rectangular pattern. 
 ( Exp. tray insert measuring 4"x 6" will become 5"x 12 1/2")
    

    2. Using your pattern, cut the Muslin.

    3. Now roll each edge over 1/4" twice and pin. After I do this I check my measurement for the width just to make sure it will fit properly, if it isn't trim and roll again. Sew all around and iron edges flat.

    4. Using your clean small spatula, stuff the top and bottom edges of the fabric into the tray covering the foam. Begin on the top and gently stuff the fabric in between each section of the ring tray foam insert, making sure to keep it slightly taught and straight. Continue until each section is in and all the fabric is taught. 

                                    You are done! See so super easy and what a great new look for your display!

     I use many different displays in my jewelry shows, and when I started out, I made the mistake of using all black mannequins and displays. As you can see here it drains the color and detail out of the stone and makes it difficult to see the details of the wire work.  I could not afford to buy all new displays, so I re-covered them with a lighter material. I have found that white can be as harmful as black in draining the color and showing off your beautiful designs properly, so I have gone to using a muslin that has a bit of a linen look to it. It looks richer and was certainly less expensive than many materials. It will also help you in taking better photographs of your jewelry designs.

     To do this project is fairly easy and takes only a couple hours to do. This project is for a jewelry bust that is flat one with a stand back, so to I made sure to create a back to keep it clean and to allow the stand to still be used.

     Supplies
    1.Muslin
    2.Felt
    3. Hot glue and gun
    4. Spray adhesive(optional)
    5. Pencil and paper to make pattern
    6. Scissors

   Directions
    1. Lay  the bust face down flat onto the paper and trace the outside twice to make two patterns.     

   
     2. Add 1" to one pattern, this will be for the muslin front. Add cutting lines on the corners approximately 1/4" from the original edge. You can also add slash lines to the other outer curves if you like, but I found it easier to just fold overlaps around those. These help when shaping the corners.

     3.  Cut out the muslin and the slash lines.     

     4. Subtract 1/4" from the second pattern for the felt back. Mark the opening for the stand on the pattern. 

     5. Cut out the felt including the opening for the back stand

   
     6. Lay muslin face down on work space and place bust face down on top of the fabric. Hot glue fabric onto the back being careful to keep the muslin taught so any wrinkles and bubbles on the front are minor. I begin with gluing the top and bottom to help achieve a smooth look. Do not worry about how messy the back is yet.  When you finish gluing, remove a little of the excess where needed, such as earring holes. Just make sure you do not trim to much or the felt will not cover the edges properly.

     
     7. Now if you are using spray adhesive spray the felt. Careful slide the felt over the stand through the opening and press the fabric down smoothing from the center out to cover all the raw edges (it can be tricky, and sticky). If you would rather use the hot glue that is fine. Glue around the stand opening first being careful to not let the glue leak out over the edges and then glue the felt over the raw edges continuing to be careful. Lastly using a push pin open up the earring holes if you have them.

     8. You are done! Now your jewelry bust is re-covered and ready to show off your beautiful jewelry deigns. 

     I know it's been done a few different ways, but none of them worked for me so here is my version of the picture frame jewelry display.  I use my display for shows and depending on my stock, I like to rearrange it. This frame lets me do that with ease, using pins to change it up. Plus as a bonus I can hang it vertical or horizontal. This project is very easy and can be finished in a couple hours.

       Supplies
Picture frame( sand and repaint if you like)
Muslin 
Felt 
Foam core board
Spray adhesive
Hot glue and gun
Scissors
Pencil

1. Remove glass and picture frame cardboard back (this is not thick enough to work for our project) however this is our pattern so keep it for the next steps.

*As you can see from the picture I chose to repaint the frame. I did this the day before. Be sure to let it cure overnight.

2. Using the cardboard from the frame as a pattern cut the batting out and trim it 1/4" smaller, then cut out the foam board the same size as the cardboard pattern,  Cut out the felt 1/2" smaller than the pattern and finally cut the muslin 1 1/2" larger than the cardboard pattern.

3. Spray adhesive the foam board and place the batting on top making sure it sticks but the glue doesn't come through.

4. Lay the batting side face down on the wrong side of your cover fabric and hot glue the fabric onto the backside, being careful to make it snug and create triangle on the corners to make it clean. Do not trim excess.

5. Now hot glue the felt onto the back to cover all those ugly edges, being careful to not let the glue show. It doesn't have to perfect just clean so the threads don't show or fray.

6. Gently place back into the frame and push those holders down to secure. You can hang it up and use it like a piece of artwork and change it around anytime you want.

     It's that time of year for me. Not only do we jewelry designers need to do our homes in the Spring, but we need to also re-evaluate our jewelry stock and supplies. It may seem daunting at first and hard to part with pieces that you put your soul into, but I promise it will be just like the real fresh air that comes in the spring and cleanse you of being uninspired.

     Knowing when to start your Spring cleaning is partly mental readiness and partly shelf space. Look around when and see how many pieces of new stock you have and how many of the older pieces there are left. If the older pieces far out number the new, it is time to re-evaluate your stock. Know as I said it is partly emotional readiness, so if you look at those pieces and just want to cry because you love them so much then wait, but if you look at the extra jewelry stock and feel like they are haunting you by still taking up valuable shelf space then you are in the right frame of mind to begin. A good measurement is if a piece has not sold in over two years, it is time to re-think it's place in your stock. The same is true for your supply stock. Take a hard look at the beads and components and make a decision as to what should stay and what needs to go.

      The thing to remember when beginning to decide is that every inch of your jewelry display and supply box, used for clearance or stagnant stock costs you money. You could use the display space for something new that goes out like hot cakes instead of wasting it on a jewelry piece that just sits. Also if you have customers that come back they will remember that piece and it will make it feel as though you do not have anything new and exciting for them to purchase.

     Now go through and decide which jewelry pieces and supply stock you wish to re-evaluate. You can even leave them for a bit and let the decision solidify or you can jump right in. Either way do not wait so long that you loose sight of this mission. I usually will separate the jewelry and supplies I am planning to disassemble or take out, in the morning, and if I feel good about it I break apart the jewelry and bag the supplies right after lunch, if I am hesitating I wait till the next day.

      As you take the jewelry stock apart make a decision to either keep the components and beads based on wear and tear and also whether or not they still excite you and can be used in another fresher way to keep. If they are to scratched or worn and they don't work for you anymore, you can always recycled them to kids as learning materials, if they are appropriate. If they are in good condition trade, sell or give them away to someone who would love them. The same holds true for the supplies you wish to take out of your stock.

        Now put away all the pieces you want to keep and take a look at all the wonderful space you have created to make new jewelry for your stock. You also have room in your bead supply box for new beads and we all love to shop for those! It will be inspiring to see the space and to get excited about all the new things you can add to your fresh jewelry stock.

      Happy Spring cleaning everyone!