Beaded bracelet bells

Beaded bracelet bells

Beaded tiny tulip

Crafty jewelry: Hurricane Bracelets tutorial

 

Crafty jewelry: Hurricane Bracelets tutorial

 

In an attempt to grab hold of the last moments of summer, and to kill time while stuck indoors during the hurricane this weekend, my friends and I got together to make old school bracelets. Once we got started it was like riding a bike, and each only took about an hour. I am a fan of rocking a them with a bright watch, or mixing one with a wrist of mixed metal. 

 

Supplies: Gimp, or Lester lace as we called in back in the day, from Blick Art (less then $2 a roll), scissors, and a fastener. Steps after the break...

 

Cut two piece, each as long as your wingspan.

Start by threading the black strand through the fastener loop, and move it to the middle of the strand.

 

Wrap around the front and back of your finger.

 

Take your orange string under both black loops, and put till you reach the middle of your orange strand

 

 Next take the right end of the orange and go over and under in the front, and then take the left end and go over and under in the back. 

Pull slowly to create a square knot

 

Next loop your orange pieces over the square knot diagonally

 

Thread the right end of the black through the orange hoop in the back, Thread the left black end through the orange hoop in the front. 

 

It should look like this as you pull the four pieces 

Repeat and the pattern should like this

 

When your bracelet is long enough to fit around your waist, tie all four pieces in a knot at the end. Then thread one strand through the other end of the fastener

 

Tie the ends in another knot and trim ends.  

 

Crafty jewelry: Beading Tutorial, Square Stitch

There are so many fun and interesting bead weaving techniques out there, that it takes a lot of time to try and master them all. Sometimes we see a technique that we like, but hesitate to experiment with it. Maybe it looks too difficult, or we think that it won’t suit our tastes, so we avoid using it and stick to the stitches that we really like.

 Crafty jewelry: Beading Tutorial, Square Stitch

This is how I felt about square stitch for a long time. I just didn’t see the point in learning another flat bead weaving stitch. Peyote was working just fine for me. Then I encountered a design dilemma, where I needed a grid-like stitch, and loom weaving was just too complex for my purpose. I pulled out an old square stitch tutorial and tried it out, only to discover that it is an amazing technique!

Square stitch is so delightfully simple, the steps can almost be explained in a single breath. And because the rows and columns are perfectly aligned, you can use ordinary graph paper to create and plan unique patterns and designs. Square stitch can be worked with almost any type of seed bead, and looks fabulous with triangles and hex-cuts.

To weave a square stitch panel:

Attach a stop bead to a comfortable length of beading thread. If you’re working with beads larger than 11/o, it’s a good idea to leave an extra long tail, so you can add more reinforcements to the beadwork later.

Pick up any number of seed beads, odd or even. These will make up the base column. If you’re making a rectangular piece, like a bracelet, this will be the short side.

Turn the stop-bead away from you, and hold the new beads against it with your free hand. Pick up one bead, and stitch down into the last bead from the first column. Pull tight so that the new bead rests side-by-side with the other.

Stitch up into the new bead and pull the thread snug. Pick up a new bead, and stitch down into the next bead of the first column. Pull snug, and stitch up into the new bead.

Repeat this process up the column, and stitch up into the last bead added to exit from the edge of the beadwork. Flip the panel over and start again from the bottom, adding one new bead to each one from the last column.

If you’re working with a large quantity of beads in each row or column, or if you’re using bigger beads or Delicas, you will want to reinforce each column before adding a new one. To do this, stitch down through the previous column, then up through the one just added before you resume stitching.

Because square stitch is worked one bead at a time, it is lengthier stitch, like peyote. But because the technique is so easy, you’ll forget how much time each stitch takes and find yourself weaving up a storm.

For a quick introduction to the technique, try out the Marching Cubes Bracelet by Marilyn Gardiner. You can also learn to do square stitch on the diagonal, using increases and decreases to make unique shapes. Start with a fun Twisty Wrap Bracelet by Marji Brohammer. And for some extra visual aids, check out the three part video series from Auntie’s Beads: Square Stitch Bugle Bracelet.

Happy beading!

Crafty jewelry, free crochet patterns: Daffodil / Narcissus Bracelet and earings

Each flower is about 1/2″ diameter and is made with DMC Six Strand Embroidery Floss, so it’s colorfast and fade resistant.

You have your choice of a pair of Daffodils, a pair of Narcissus, or one of each.  Colors can be changed to suite your taste.

Crafty jewelry, free crochet patterns: Daffodil / Narcissus Bracelet and earings

Easy crafts for kids: Friendship Bracelet Tutorial

Lasting Friendship Bracelet Tutorial

At some point in time, a reversal of roles between mothers and daughters happen. My mother used to take me to places when I was young. Now I take her to places. It took sometime before this happened but the reversal of roles between me and Princess One occurred after 9 years - sooner than anticipated. The reversal of roles I'm referring to is her being my mentor in this crafting project. I let her walk me through all the steps to create this Lasting Friendship Bracelet tutorial, which I'm also sharing with you. I love naming projects and so this is called operation Lasting Friendship Bracelet tutorial.



Materials needed:
Beads with large openings
Hemp cord
Tape (painter's tape is used in this case)
Cardboard



You'll need the cardboard to make a loom. Cut any cardboard into a strip about 3 inches wide and 11 inches long. Cut two slits on both ends approximately half an inch away from each other.




Measure your wrist.



Whatever the size is, add 12 inches then cut 2 strips of hemp cord with this length. For example, Princess One's wrist is 7 inches in diameter so by adding 12 inches, we have a total length of 19 inches. Cut two 19-inch strips of the hemp cord.



Insert the hemp cords on the slits of the loom, making sure that approximately 6 inches of the cord are left hanging.



Tape these cords at the back of the loom to look like this. They are named Cord 1 and Cord 2.



Cut another hemp cord, called Cord 3, with a length double of Cord 1. Since in this case Cord 1 is 19 inches, Cord 3 should be 38 inches. Tie the end of Cord 3 to Cord 1 with a simple knot, leaving a tail of about 6 inches, then tucking its tail on the slit for Cord 1.



Pass through Cord 3 under Cord 1 and Cord 2, then insert a bead.



Make sure that the bead stays in the middle of Cord 1 and Cord 2.



Pass Cord 3 over Cord 2 going towards the bead, then insert it in the bead. By now, Cord 3 should be on the left side and the bead is snug.



To add the next bead, pass Cord 3 under Cord 1 and Cord 2 towards the right like the step did with the green bead.



After that, you're ready for your next bead.



Here's a little pictorial summary of the steps done earlier.





When you have reached the desired length, close the bracelet by tying the ends in a knot.



Make a clasp using another bead that you can easily slide up and down to close or loosen the bracelet.



Knot all the ends of the hemp cord and now you have a Lasting Friendship bracelet.



These are the bracelets we made together. It took us around 20 minutes to complete these beauties and it's so worth it!



How about you? Has there been a project where your kid led you to finish it?

Crafty jewelry: Geometrric beaded wraparound tutoriral

 

 Jewelry making

This bracelet is my personal favorite because I was finally able to find a way to use these geometric square beads I picked up a while ago.  This bracelet is just as simple as the first one, requiring you to just do some knotting.  You'll need about 22" of cording and some cool beads, but make sure the bead opening is large enough to fit the cording through.  I gave mine a cleaner look by attaching a lobster claw & jump ring closure to the end, but this is purely optional.  You can just use the same loop and knot technique as seen in tutorial #1 above.  Total time spent on each bracelet was about 15 minutes and total cost was less than $3 each.

 

Using the same wrapping technique from this tutorial, I added these round beads to some leather cording for more of a clean look.  You'll just need some beads, embroidery floss and leather cording.  Of course you can just as well use the cording from the previous tutorials, but I love the color and texture of the leather against the smooth & shiny beads.  I cut my cording & embroidery floss 24" long.  Total time spent on this bracelet was about 20 minutes (it takes a little longer to carefully wrap the string of beads) and total cost was less than $3 each.

Source: fourflightsoffancy.blogspot.com

Crafty jewelry: flower bracelet, jewelry making

     

Crafty jewelry: flower bracelet, jewelry making