Project DIY: 10 Minute Evil Eye Charm

When I was travelling to Israel and Turkey last year, I was determined to return with a unique Evil Eye Charm for our home. I saw tons of them, but they all seemed like touristy versions, and I wasn't too happy. Which is when the idea of creating my own struck me.


I found some really ideal, simple glass evil eye pendants the size of my palm in Tel Aviv. Since am usually looking for a bargain, I decided to go for the plain ones with a blue nylon string to hang them. At 8 Shekels a piece, they were about 20 shekels cheaper than fancy ones. I was going to add my own personal touch to these anyway, so it made complete sense to buy the minimalistic pendants.


It took me about a year but while I was unpacking here in Porbandar, miraculously, I found all the bits to make up a wonderful unique piece. A length of thick, coarse string, some beads and the evil eye itself. Like the title of the post promises, this won't take you longer than 10 minutes to rustle up.




You will need:
1 evil eye pendant made of glass or ceramic. Pick a size you like
Some coarse string of desired length and proportion to your pendant
10-20 beads in colours of your choice
Thin string to tie the beads


Start off by stringing the pendant through your coarse string so that you have at least 6 strands to create a braid.Tie a firm knot as shown here to hold the pendant in place.

Now, braid the strands artfully. As you can see, I started off with a casual three-piece braid and then changed it to a slightly more intricate six string one. 


It is time to thread your beads through the thinner string. Tie a knot at each end of the beads to keep them from slipping off and make sure you leave enough thread on either side to enable you to comfortably tie it around the coarse string braid.

Depending on the thickness of your braid, use 2-3 beads for each round of adornment. I used beads in only three places, since I really wanted to see more of the coarse string. Tie off the ends of the string to create a sturdy way to hang the pendant on the wall. And you're done!

The smooth glossy finish of the pendant is offset wonderfully by the coarse string and the few black beads add a bold accent to this piece. All that remains to be done now, is to hammer a nail into the wall, next to the switch for the buzzer to proudly display your new accessory. And to ward off the evil eye!