1/
First you need a selection of dried beans in varying colours or shades. We had black beans, aduki beans, cannellini beans, flageolet beans, black eyed beans and pinto beans, but just a couple of different kinds would do. Black beans and other dark beans can stain clothes or linens when wet, so be careful with favourite clothes!

2/
Soak a handful of each bean in water for at least four hours – we left ours overnight. Don’t worry if some beans wrinkle or split, most of them will still be fine for threading. Strain your beans and remove any excess water with a cloth, then set them out in dishes or piles, ready to thread.

3/
We used three strands of good quality embroidery thread for our necklace. Snip a length that will be long enough to fit over the wearer’s head once the ends are tied together.

4/
Thread a slim needle and carefully push it through the centre of a bean. Little ones will enjoy pulling the bean off the end of the needle and down onto the thread and then selecting the next bean to go on. Add as many or as few beans as you like!