Art Education Daily: string a necklace made from seeds

The seed necklace above is from Mexico.

Brief Description: Stringing seeds to create jewelry and garlands is done by many different cultures of peoples. The seed necklace pictured here is from Mexico. However, native peoples in North America and many tribal peoples from Africa create similar crafts that also use the same methods. Seed necklaces are actually best strung while the seeds have not yet fully dried. This method makes it much easier for children to prick holes into the seed shells.

Supply List:

A variety of seeds
strong thin cord or dental floss for stringing
An embroidery needle with a sharp tip
one bar of ivory soap
a soft terry cloth towel
masking tape
one small pumpkin
one large metal spoon
access to a wash basin or a large bucket of water
knife to cut open the pumpkin
liquid dish soap

Directions:

Cut your pumpkin in half and hollow out it's interior with a large metal spoon.
The seeds are easy to clean. Just soak them for a few minutes in the bucket of water and the pumpkin pulp with separate from the seeds with a little plucking on your part.
Wash the seeds with a little liquid soap and then pat them down with a soft terry cloth towel.
Wrap the dull end of your embroidery needle with a little masking tape, so that it will be easier to handle.
Pierce each soft, pumpkin seed with a threaded needle.
Use a bar of Ivory soap underneath your needle to keep it sharp and to avoid contact with surfaces or flesh.

A fresh pumpkin will provide ample seeds for a necklace or garland.

The best way to prevent cuts and pricks is to use a bar of ivory soap
to buffer the entire process of piercing seeds. Ivory soap is best because
it contains fewer of the dyes and perfumes that little ones could
possibly be allergic to.