What To Do With Conkers: Make Your Own Conker Necklace

Conkers, also known as horse chestnuts, are everywhere in the UK during autumn. For years they’ve been collected by children and adults alike to be used to play games with, decorate the home, and even as a humane method of deterring moths and spiders. Conkers truly do bring the magic of autumn into your home, and there is a true abundance of ways in which to use them. If you’re looking for a huge list of amazing ways to use conkers in and around your home, check out this blog post: What To Do With Conkers: 40 Ways To Use Conkers.

When thinking about what to do with conkers, I bet you’ve never thought about wearing them as a fashion accessory. If that’s the case, today is your lucky day. I’m sharing a fun and exciting conker craft that is guaranteed to turn heads. So if you’re ready to embrace your inner autumnal goddess, keep reading to find out how to make your own conker necklace.

Conker Necklaces: The Ultimate Autumnal Fashion Accessory 

If you like being bold with your fashion choices, this is the make for you. Lovers of boho trends will adore this chunky, bold conker necklace. These chunky autumn accessories are great when paired with chunky knits and boots, flowing seasonal dresses, or even just worn over a long-sleeved top and jeans. 

What To Do With Conkers: Conkers Necklaces Are Great For Kids Too

When wondering what to do with conkers you’ve collected, you’re likely going to be looking for a simple, easy, and relatively quick method to use them – especially if you’re looking for a way to involve the kids. 

Conker necklaces are exactly that. All you need in order to create these natural pieces of jewellery is a drill, some string (or jewellery chain) and, of course, plenty of conkers! 

Crafting With Conkers: A Word Of Caution 

If you’re thinking about what to do with conkers and considering trying to eat them – I recommend that you definitely do not do this! 

When doing autumn activities with kids and kids’ autumn crafts, it’s important to remember that conkers contain a chemical called aesculin, which is toxic for humans, dogs and cats.

Additionally, conkers can cause blockages in the digestive system of your pets and cause serious illnesses and costly vet bills. Ingesting conkers can be potentially fatal to your pets, so always keep a close eye on your children and any animals at home when using conkers. 

What To Do With Conkers: How To Make Conker Necklaces

Conker necklaces are quick and easy to make. You’re going to want to grab yourself a drill, a big bag of conkers, and some string. Here’s how to make beautiful conker necklaces for autumn.

Collect plenty of conkers.

You’re going to want to collect quite a few conkers if you want to make a full, chunky necklace. If you’re only looking to add 3 or 4 onto a chain or string, then you don’t need to collect bagfuls. However, if you’re looking for a bold fashion statement, or wanting to create necklaces for your kids to wear, you’re going to need to collect at least 25 – 30 conkers. Make sure they’re intact and have no cracks or rotten parts.

Drill your holes.

Next, you will need to drill holes through all of your conkers. You need to use a relatively chunky drill bit in order to create a hole that’s big enough for your string to pass through. Drilling through conkers creates a bit of a mess, so I recommend either doing it outside or putting a messy mat down. 

Thread the conkers.

Now for the final part: thread your conkers! Use string, jewellery chain or elastic and thread your conkers. 

Wear Your Conker Necklace With Pride!

Tie off your string and there you have it, your very own bold, beautiful conker necklace! These accessories are really easy to make and are just another brilliant way to use conkers this autumn.

Children may like to decorate their conker necklaces using acrylic pens or paint. They can also use PVA glue to add shine and stick extra bling onto their necklaces, such as glitter or sequins. 

Would you wear a necklace made from conkers this autumn? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!