How To Make A Personalized Map Necklace From Eyeglasses
Two of my favourite things to upcycle are denim and old maps. I've made a denim necklace before, this time I decided to use maps!
It was after having a tidy-up during lockdown that I got the idea for this world map necklace. I was tidying out the kitchen drawers. You know the drawers where you just shove all those little bits and pieces that you don’t know what do to with.
It was during this sort-out that I came across a couple of old pairs of eyeglasses. I don’t know who’s they were, as no one in my family wears glasses. They weren’t in a great state and had obviously been there for a number of years.
All you need for this craft is some old eyeglass a leather thong and an old map of course.
The first thing to do is to dismantle the eyeglasses. The idea is to end up with one lens still wrapped in the frame wire. First, using a little screwdriver, remove the arms from the glasses. Then using a rotary tool and metal cutting blade cut any unnecessary bits of metal on the frame.
I cut off the nose pads but left the wire that attached them to use as a fixing point for the necklace cord. Any sharp bits of metal can be grounded smooth using the rotary tool and a grinding attachment.
Next, place the eyeglass lens over the part of the map that you want to use. This might be of somewhere special to you. I used a road map for a personalized necklace. But I made one with a world map for a friend of mine who was a big traveler.
Cut out whatever map you decide to use and cover the front of it with mod podge. Then stick it to the back of the eyeglass lens.
Sand any sharp edges or bits of map that overlap.
To finish off add the leather thong. I thread mine through a loop left by the nose pads on the necklace.
I ended up making three of the necklaces using different colored thongs and maps. You can download the world map templates for free from my blog (link at the end).
I've also used road maps before to make personalized brooches which you can see here.
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This sounds like a project I will try. It is something fun for friends who have been vacationing and want to have a special memory from it! Thanks!
Maybe for some people, if the glasses are broken and can't be fixed. (Why a map specifically, I'm not quite sure.) Otherwise, donating the glasses is a much better idea. Conveniently, the place where I get my new glasses collects old ones for people in need. There's no shortage of places to donate them.