Broken China Jewelry Pendants – No Soldering

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Two pendant made from the same rose pattern broken China Plate. One is larger on a black silk cord and the other is diamond shaped on a string of fresh water pearls.

Turn broken or chipped China into beautiful jewelry pendants!

This easy craft is a great way to transform a vintage plate from your grandma or aunt into a cherished keepsake. Or, pick up a few patterned plates from the thrift store. This project comes together with a few simple tools and a no-solder method that works well for beginners.

Photo of supplies including safety glasses, gloves, E6000, tile snips (optional), foil tape, a plate, jewelry bails and sand paper.
Supplies

Supplies

How To Make Broken China Jewelry Pendants – 4 Easy Steps

STEP 1:

To start, you’ll need to break your plate into small pieces. You can do this in a couple of ways. The first is to place your saucer or plate on a towel, fold the other half over the top, and smash the plate into pieces with a hammer. This works great if your china plate has an overall pattern.

Reminder: Wear protective gloves and safety glasses!

Breaking ceramic plates to use as a mosaic for a DIY Mosaic Picture Frame Tray.
This photo is from a mosaic tray I made. Find the full DIY Mosaic Picture Frame Tray tutorial here.

The second option is to use tile snips to score, then place the plate between the grippers to snap pieces away. This is not an exact science, but it does give you a little more control.

Use the scoring wheel on the bottom of your tile snips to score the plate where you'd like it to break.
Use the scoring wheel on your tile snips to score your cut.
Use the place the plate between the tile snips and snap the plate in two.
Grip the plate between the snippers to snap off where you scored.

For a better look at how to use tile snips, check out this short video from Ace Hardware: How To Use A Handheld Tile Cutter.

There is a third option: Purchase a Dremel with a Diamond Cutting Wheel. Your China plate could still break in unexpected places, but a Dremel offers more control over the cutting process.

STEP 2:

Once you have your pieces, use sandpaper or a sanding block to smooth the sharp edges.

Smoothing the sharp edges of the broken china piece to make a necklace pendant.

STEP 3:

Peel off the backing of your adhesive foil tape and guide it around the edges of your pendant. Then smooth the tape edges over the front and back of your pendant for a finished look.

Smoothing 1/4" adhesive copper foil tape around the edges of a piece of a broken china plate to make a necklace pendant.
1/4 inch foil tape in copper folded over the front of a small broken piece of a floral China plate to finish the edge and make a necklace pendant.

STEP 4:

Glue a pinch bail to the back of your pendant using E6000, and add it to a necklace chain or satin cording.

Photo of five necklace pendants made from broken china plates. All with floral patterns from different plates.
Two pendant made from the same rose pattern broken China Plate. One is larger on a black silk cord and the other is diamond shaped on a string of fresh water pearls.
Star divider used has two hand drawn lines with a star in the center, used as a content break and signals new or different content below. This doodle style illustration is in a medium charcoal gray.

– MORE TO EXPLORE –

Decoupaged Keepsake Box + Graduated Ponybead Bracelets + Repurposed Kitchenware Ideas

Feature image of a keepsake box made by decoupaging a Paris tourist map of monuments, a visitors guide to a wood box. The box is about 12" x 9" x 3.3" to hold travel souvenirs, photos and other treasures from ones travels. The map has an old world feel in the type and illustrations. It's primarily a dusty pink with blues and greens to call out rivers and monuments. On the front is a brass hook latch. There are pots of greenery on top and books and a brass miniature Eiffel Tower to the side.
Square feature of two graduated pony bead bracelets. One has neutral brown and caramel color beads with a carved looking daisy bead as a spacer. The second bracelet is colorful in multicolors like red, purple, pink, aqua, bright greens with a sterling silver heart at the center.
Tea cup gnome shown. Vertical photo of a gray bearded gnome with a tea cup for a hat and a saucer for the base. Red flower on top of the teacup hat.
Feature image of a keepsake box made by decoupaging a Paris tourist map of monuments, a visitors guide to a wood box. The box is about 12" x 9" x 3.3" to hold travel souvenirs, photos and other treasures from ones travels. The map has an old world feel in the type and illustrations. It's primarily a dusty pink with blues and greens to call out rivers and monuments. On the front is a brass hook latch. There are pots of greenery on top and books and a brass miniature Eiffel Tower to the side.
Decoupaged Keepsake Box
Square feature of two graduated pony bead bracelets. One has neutral brown and caramel color beads with a carved looking daisy bead as a spacer. The second bracelet is colorful in multicolors like red, purple, pink, aqua, bright greens with a sterling silver heart at the center.
Pretty Pony Bead Bracelets
Tea cup gnome shown. Vertical photo of a gray bearded gnome with a tea cup for a hat and a saucer for the base. Red flower on top of the teacup hat.
Repurposed Kitchenware

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