teething ring making – DIY manual
Amber Winsveen
Jootjes Hook gifts
Print version available in PDF here:
teething ring Make – DIY Manual
Introduction
At Jootjes Haakcadeautjes you are at the right address for making your own baby teething toys. The manual below gives you the necessary instructions for making your own teething ring. The manual is a very simple teething ring but you can, of course, vary it in many ways. As a wholesale in baby teething toy materials, we also supply you with all the supplies for making these teething ring via our webshop. All our materials are completely baby safe, 100% free of toxic substances, fully compliant with European directives. Therefore, we have long been the market leader in baby teething toy materials. Take a look round in our webshop or on our blog or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest for many more inspiration. You will find many examples of teething rings, inspiration regarding other types of baby teething toys and color combinations.
Supplies:
- Silicone or beech wood beads fully customizable to your liking. See below for more information.
- satin cord of at least 1.5 mm thickness. We recommend 2 mm. Length 1 meter.
- 1 or 2 beech wood or silicone rings / figures
- 1 Slim blunt beading needle
- A combination pliers.
How many beads are needed to create a teething ring?
There isn't just one way to make a teething ring. The moment you read this guide, you've likely already seen all sorts of great teething rings. There are so many beautiful creations to be found. That's perfect for inspiration.
Don't have a good idea yet what you'd like to make, or would you like a guideline to go by? Generally, we use the following:
- 10 beads of 20 mm or approximately 12 beads of 16 mm. In total, this gives a length of about 20 cm (all beads put together). If you replace something with a different shape or size, try to adhere to this.
- We usually don't use 12 mm for a teething ring. With a teething ring, we assume it will be bitten on a lot. Then we prefer a bead with a bit more volume.
- A bead of 20 mm, in my opinion, gives the best effect but is a bit heavier to use. If you give a teething ring as a baby gift to a newborn, we recommend the 16 mm beads (because the teething ring remains lighter). For little ones with teething, the 20 mm beads are perfect for a teething ring.
All the materials above are available on our webshop!
Step 1: Stringing a teething ring
Take the 1 meter piece of satin cord. Thread one end through the eye of the blunt needle and string the chosen beads in the desired order onto the thread. Then, string charms or rings over the beads as desired. Remove the needle from the satin cord.
Step 2: Tying the teething ring
Additional explanation: At this stage, the advantage of the 1-meter length comes to the fore. We often get the question: "I always have a piece left over, can't it be shorter?" To make a teething ring, you want to be able to tie knots multiple times to ensure good sturdiness. You simply need a good length to be able to tighten the tied knots with sufficient force. Also, do not be afraid to tighten the knots. Use all the strength you have. satin cord does not break during the process, that is precisely why we use it! Make use of this. If the ends are too short, you cannot tie good knots. A little extra length is therefore a necessity.
Tying the teething ring itself:
1. Take the two ends of the satin cord and tie a double reef knot (left end over right end). With a double reef knot, you wrap around twice. This creates an extra winding that ultimately provides extra grip for the knot. Pull firmly. The strand beads now forms a ring. Tighten this ring firmly and pull the knot tight.
2. The knot is not yet complete. Tie a second knot in the same manner on top of the first knot. Here, you wrap with the right end over the left. The wraps will then run in opposite directions, providing extra grip. This method of knot tying is also called surgical knotting because it is used by surgeons*.
Originally, I didn’t start with teething toys at all. I graduated and work as a doctor. For the creation of Jootjes Crochet Gifts, I often jokingly say from suturing to crochet and making. My background is therefore very useful to me in assessing the baby safety of the materials offered.
Step 3: Securing the teething ring
You have obtained a nice round ring after the first set of knots (step 2). On one side of this ring, there is now a knot with the two ends satin cord. Take 1 of these ends and thread it back through the beading needle. You are going to thread this end back. You do this by inserting it into the hole of the adjacent bead, to the left or right of the knot. You are essentially retracing the path that the cord has already taken in the first round. After you have threaded back through the first bead, pullthe knot made to the side in the bead so that it is no longer visible.Continue backuntil you have reached the other side of the teething ring; directly opposite the knot. The teething ring in our example has 10 beads of 20 mm. After re-inserting 5 beads, you are therefore halfway.
Pulling back through can sometimes be a bit heavier because there is already a cord in the beads. That is why we always use a combination pliers when making a teething ring. With this, we grip the needle and pull the needle through. This gives much more grip and control over the needle and helps with applying force. Using a combination pliers eventually causes wear on the needle. But we always say that good tools must be used well and safety and good construction of a teething ring is number 1. That is why we at Jootjes Haakcadeautjes have very strong but also very affordable beading needles should you ever need to replace your beading needle.
Next, thread the other end through the beads as well, back in the opposite direction. If you went counterclockwise with the first end, now go clockwise until you reach the opposite side of the first knot again. This way, the ends meet again on the other side of the teething ring. Here too, tie a double knot in the same way as described in step 2.
Step 4: Fastening the teething ring
You now have a knot on both sides of the teething ring. We believe that the teething ring is very reliable with this if you have pulled the knots well and tightly. We will therefore now finish off the threads.
Attach one end to the beading needle. For this part you will again need the combination pliers. It does not matter which thickness cord you have chosen. You have to go through an adjacent bead again, which is already quite full due to the cord. Thread to the left or right through the adjacent bead. Do the same with the second end (through the same adjacent bead). After this, also tie the last knot in a bead. Be careful that your previous knot does not reappear. Sometimes you will need to pull a little harder. Then I will thread both ends 1 bead further (you will then be in total 2 beads from the last knot).
The remaining ends are now sticking out. You can now trim the ends. Cut the ends as close as possible to the bead.
Of course, it is also possible to tie more securing knots as desired, as many times as you want, and then finish them off. In our opinion, this is not necessary for a sturdy teething ring. It can also result in a slightly stiffer teething ring or make it difficult to hide the knots neatly. Of course, this can also be adjusted to your own preference. The end goal is that your creation is baby safe.
The teething ring is now complete!! ❤ Have fun with your final creation!
Love,
Team Jootjes
DISCLAIMER: The teething ring is made in this manual based on satin cord and is therefore very durable. Due to the way it is produced (weaving/textile processing), satin cord is very strong and has a lot of grip/friction at the knots. These knots will not come loose easily even when pulled tight. However, wear and tear is always possible with any product you use, that is simply a fact.
Jootjes Haakcadeautjes does not produce the teething ring itself and can never be held liable for potential damage caused by loose teething rings. We show a method for making the teething rings which, in our opinion, is a very reliable method. However, the production and use of a teething ring is always at your own risk. Jootjes Haakcadeautjes can never be held responsible for damage resulting from the use of a teething ring produced based on this manual. In any case, our advice is strict. Always use teething toys only under the supervision of a responsible adult!
COPYRIGHT: Jootjes Haakcadeautjes, all patterns and manuals from Jootjes Haakcadeautjes may only be published by Jootjes Haakcadeautjes. The patterns and manuals are for personal use only and may not be used for commercial purposes. This manual may not be translated or published on your own site. Sharing a link to the manual is of course permitted, provided it includes proper attribution and reference!
Print version available in PDF here:
teething ring Make – DIY Manual
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