- You will need a set of pliers, a heavy piece of beading wire, scissors, crimping beads, the beads for the bracelet, a washcloth, and a bar-and-toggle closure piece. All of these items can be purchased at any craft store. The large chain stores, such as Michael's, will have the greatest selection. Think about what image you want to portray when selecting your beads. If you want a dainty look, pick smaller beads. If you want a more funky, edgy look, pick bigger beads. Also, keep in mind the size of the wrist that you are trying to fit--if the wrist is smaller, you want a smaller bead and vice versa for a larger wrist.
- Take your beads and create the pattern you think work best for you. Some people like random order, and others like an exact 1-2 pattern. Go with what makes you happy. Line your beads up on a washcloth in the order you would like. The washcloth keeps the beads from rolling all over your workspace.
- Use the beading wire to find the length you will need for your bracelet. Wrap the wire around your wrist and find a length that feels comfortable, and then add a finger's length to it.
- Thread the wire through the loop at the bottom of the bar clasp. Thread a crimping bead on the wire and thread the end of the wire through it to create a loop at the bottom of the bar clasp. Once both sides of the wire are through the crimping bead, use your pliers to mash it into place, as close to the hole at the bottom of the bar clasp as possible. Now, you can thread the beads onto the wire. Keep threading until you have about a finger's length of wire left.
- Repeat the process of attaching the crimping bead to the end of the bracelet with the toggle end of the clasp. Try your bracelet on. If it's too tight, you may need to start over and add more wire.
previous post