Partly because March is craft month, and partly because of spring air or something that gave me lots of ideas, I'm doing a Tutorial Blast this month, with a new and different tutorial every week instead of just the first week of the month. Check back each week to see what's new! Week One: How to Make a Cottage Chic 1950s Gloveholder

When I discovered vintage gloveholders, I loved how pretty and practical they were. Since I wear gloves a lot, it can be a pain to have to carry them along with a clutch, stuff them into a purse, or keep losing them under chairs or dropping them. Gloveholders take care of this problem quite nicely, since they attach to your purse or even clothing – sweater buttonhole or skirt belt loop – and all you have to do is pinch your gloves in them and forget about them, keeping them handy. It works great for scarves or other small articles you are carrying as well.

 

This is my vintage rose-gold-tone glove holder.

I love the details of ornate embossing and the pretty flower.

It closes securely with a pinch clasp and the grip of the holder is quite strong. It won't lose my gloves!

I also like how it can be a sort of purse jewelry piece, and that gave me a desire to make one myself, in a different style.

 

Here is how I made my cottage chic version.

 

You will need:

5-6 in. sturdy jewelry chain with medium-large links (you can repurpose a vintage chain, too)

12 x 6mm lobster clasp (same metal tone as your chain)

craft spray paint

wire pinch clip, like they used to use to shut chip bags

newspaper

needlenosed pliers

a non-breezy day (not shown)

 

 

A little more about the wire clip. This one is vintage and the coating was rubbed off in several places, which is ok because of the retro cottage chic look I wanted. A smoother, newer one might be a better choice for a more formal look.

 

1.  Shake and open the spray paint according to directions on the bottle. Outside – make sure you're upwind! – place the clip on the newspaper and spray lightly with the base color. I wanted a slightly distressed look, so I used 2 different colors, but if you want, use the same color for both coats.

 

It won't be covered completely. I used a twig to turn it over and do the other side.

Let it dry for 5-10 minutes. Outside in the sun and breeze it dried quickly. Meanwhile move on to the next step.

 

2. To make the fastening chain, take the needlenosed pliers and bend open a link in the chain.

Pinch shut around lobster clasp loop.

 

The other end – you can make it as long as you wish – just gets opened and pinched shut again. At this point you can close it around a jump ring if you wish, for a larger closing loop for the lobster clasp to grip.

The finished chain.

 

3. Now back outside to the clip. This time with color two I sprayed it and turned it to do the other side. Because of turning it over, it had a few rubbed places where the white showed through, which made it look like it had a distressed finish.

Let it dry completely. It will dry to the touch in 30 minutes, but I let mine overnight just in case since I don't want blue paint on my gloves!

 

4. Of course the finishing touch is to open the chain and insert it through the top of the clip.

At this point the chain will still slide around, so if you want the clasp to always be at the top, open a chain loop near the clip and close it around a link on the other side to keep it from sliding.

 

The finished product. I just love that robin's egg blue shade.

 

To use it, insert and clasp the chain around a handle, D ring, zipper tab, belt loop, or any other handy place on a handbag or wherever.

The zipper pull on my 1940s brown clutch has a jump ring, so it's perfect for putting the chain through.

Then you can use it as a clip to secure any small article.

 

I like the bright touch and cottage chic look of this one, but if it were done in gold, silver, or bronze metallic paint it could look more Period. Silver ones seem to be rare, so I'll probably make another one in gray or silver.

 

But this one makes me think of spring!

 

Till next week with Part Two,

~Kristen – Verity Vintage Studio