Collar Necklace Tutorial

Last night on Pretty Little Liars, Ashley Benson (who plays Hanna), was wearing the cutest collar necklace.  I was inspired to make my own!  On our TV it looked like pearls on black, although after looking online just now, it looks more like yellow on metal mesh. 
Here's my how to:

Place a towel, piece of paper and crew neck t-shirt on a table.  Use a pin to poke holes through the paper, in the shape of the neck.

If you look closely, you can see the pin holes.

Use a French Curve to draw a collar shape coming down from the pin marked neckline. 

Fold paper in half (so both sides will match) and trace the shape.  If you don't have a light box (I don't), just hold it on the window glass (in daylight) and trace.

I love using supplies I already own.  Here is pre-quilted navy silk velvet and gunmetal gray silk shantung.  Just enough for this project!  Trace the pattern onto the wrong side of the fabric.  Since this fabric can be slippery, I sewed before I cut the piece out.  Stitch only the lower edges 1/4" seam allowance.  Insert the ties (see below) and continue stitching

but be sure to leave an opening for turning.

You could use ribbon, but I used some silk shantung bias strips (2" folded in half).

Clip curves, turn right side out.  Hand stitch the opening shut, tucking in the raw edges.

I attached pearl beads.

Cute!

I think this old t-shirt could make a neat collar too, with a completely different look.