Beaded 'loopy' bracelet

Hello, another bracelet tutorial for you! This one is another wide cuff style bracelet like the previous tutorial but I think this one looks a bit more fancy and dainty in comparison. This tutorial is also much easier (I lost count of the number of times I tried joining the strands in the wide cuff bracelet tutorial, don't get me started on how long it took to draw up the tutorial on it!!) Hopefully the diagrams/photos are all clear. Having had another read through of the descriptions for this tutorial, it might actually be easier to just follow the diagrams rather than read it! I will leave the wording up anyway...just in case some people do want to read it.

You will need:

Fishing wire 

530 X 2mm blue beads 

60 X 4mm bicone beads in three colours (I chose white, blue and purple)

2 X metal loops

Metal clasp

Scissors

Pliers

Tweezers (to help thread the wire through fiddly beads)

Step 1: Cut some fishing wire, roughly about a 1.5m long. Thread three 4mm bicone beads on, make sure that the beads are positioned in the middle of the wire. (I randomly selected the different coloured beads, but you can be a bit more methodical and thread beads on in a certain order that you are happy with!) Then thread both ends of the thread through another 4mm bicone bead (as indicated on the diagram).

Step 2: Thread 15 small beads onto each strand of fishing wire, then thread both ends of the wire through a 4mm bicone bead.

Step 3: Then repeat steps 1 & 2 until you reach a length you are happy with. The bracelet I made has five segments of small blue beads (which turns out to be quite small ………. but I used some extra metal loops at the end so the length can be adjusted!)

Step 4: Once you have reached the desired length for your bracelet, position the wire so that they poke out either side of the bottom 4mm bicone bead (as indicated in the diagram).

Step 5: Thread 15 small beads on either end of wire, then thread both ends through a 4mm bicone bead and thread one end of the wire to the existing ‘loop’ of 4mm bicone beads you have created previously.

Step 6: Then add two more 4mm bicone beads as indicated in the diagram.

Step 7: Repeat steps 5 & 6 and continue until you reach the end.

Step 8: When you reach the end thread the ends of wire so that they are positioned on either side of the bottom bicone bead (like in the diagram), and add three bicone beads.

Step 9: Continue threading beads like in steps 5 & 6 until you reach the end. Once you have completed the main band of the bracelet, thread the wire through the beads until they are positioned next to each other so you can tie a knot. Then continue threading the wire through some of the beads (I like to do this so it feels more secure, I get paranoid in case the knot becomes unravelled). Once you are happy that it feels secure enough, cut the ends.

Step 10: Cut two more pieces of fishing wire (two 50cm pieces should be enough). Thread one end through one of the bicone beads on the end of the bracelet, then add 20 small beads and the wire through the same bicone bead. Thread the wire so you can tie a knot, then repeat the process as indicated on the diagram.

Step 11: Taking your pliers, take one of the metal loops and loop it through the two end beaded loops. Do the same on the other end, add a metal clasp and you have finished!

Adding bling to an old hair band

I always have lots of beads left over from my beading projects. So this is a little tutorial (a quick and easy one!) using the spare beads I have lying around.

You will need:
A hair band
A selection of beads
Some embroidery thread

Step 1: Cut a piece of thread, roughly a metre long.

Step 2: Tie one end of the thread to the hair band and wrap it around a few times.

Step 3: Thread a bead onto the embroidery thread and wrap the thread around the hair band once or twice (depending on how secure you would like it to be).

Step 4: Continue threading beads. After you add a bead wrap the thread around the hair band afterwards. Continue wrapping and adding beads. (I aimed to cover the piece of metal on the hair band).

Step 5: Once you are happy with the arrangement of beads loop the thread around one of the beads and tie a knot.

You have finished!

Wide cuff beaded bracelet tutorial

My latest make...a wide cuff bracelet! I like all the different bracelets you can find in the shops, but most of the ones I have come across are really rigid and I prefer bracelets that have a little flexibility.

This bracelet took absolutely ages to make (I started this before Christmas and have only just managed to finish it). Then the tutorial diagram took ages to draw. Hopefully it all makes sense!

You will need:

Pliers

Fishing wire 

Scissors

Tweezers (this tutorial can be a bit fiddly, tweezers are handy when you need to thread the wire through the 1mm beads)

132  white 4mm white bicone beads (I used Swarovski crystal AB beads for this)

525 blue 2mm blue beads

Metal clasp and two metal loops

Step 1: Cut a piece of fishing wire, roughly 70 cm long. Thread three 4mm white bicone beads and two 1mm blue beads in an alternating pattern (as indicated on the diagram), position the beads so they are in the middle of the fishing wire. The thread both ends of the fishing wire through a 1mm blue bead to create a loop.

Step 2: Then thread one 4mm white bicone bead and one 1mm blue bead onto the end of wire, repeat with the other end of thread (please look at the diagram). Thread both ends through a 4mm white bicone bead to create another loop. 

Step 3: Repeat steps 1 and 2 again.

Step 4: Thread three 1mm blue beads onto both ends of wire, then thread both ends of wire through another 1mm blue bead. Repeat this until you have four loops of 1mm beads (as indicated in the diagram).

Step 5: Repeat until you have a strand of beads with four segments of 4mm white bicone beads (like the photo. Continue threading the wire through the beads until the strands are next to each other so you can tie a knot. Once you have secured the strand continue threading the wire through the beads (I like to do this so the bracelet feels a little more secure. You don’t need to go over the top and thread it through all your beads) Once you are satisfied cut the wire, this makes it nice and neat and makes step 7 much easier!

Step 6: Make two more strands, so you have three in total.

Step 7: Cut a fresh piece of wire, 50cm should be more than enough. Thread three 1mm blue beads onto the wire and position them at the middle of the wire. Then thread the end of the wire through the 1mm blue bead on one of the strands you made earlier, repeat for the other end of wire. Then thread both ends through one 1mm blue bead. Hopefully the diagram is clearer than this explanation! Thread both ends through the two of the white bicone beads you threaded earlier.

Step 8: Thread both ends through another 1mm blue bead. Then thread through two of the blue beads on the strand, repeat on the other strand.  Thread both ends through another 1mm blue bead, then thread both ends of wire through the white bicone beads on the strands. To complete this step thread both ends through another blue 1mm bead.

Step 9: Thread the wire through two of the 1mm blue beads on the strand and repeat on the other piece of wire. Then thread both ends through another 1mm blue bead. You should have a loop of 6 beads.

Step 10: Next thread the ends through one of the 1mm blue beads on the strands and repeat for the other end of wire. Then thread one 1mm blue bead on each end of wire then thread both ends through another 1mm blue bead. (This step should make another loop of six beads).

Step 11: Thread one 1mm blue bead on each end of wire, then thread the wire through one of the blue beads on the two strands. Next thread one blue bead on both ends of wire, then thread both ends through a blue bead. This should make a loop of eight beads.

Step 12: Repeat step 11 and create another loop of eight beads.

Step 13: Next add one blue bead onto each end of wire then thread through a blue bead on each strand. Then thread both ends of wire through a blue bead, creating a loop of six.

Step 14: Thread the wire through two of the blue beads on the beaded strands, repeat on the other side, then thread both ends through one blue 1mm bead.

Step 15: Repeat from step 7 until you have completely joined both strands of beads.

Step 16: Use the same process from step 7 to join the third strand.

Step 17: Using another piece of cut fishing wire (you will only need a small piece; 15cm is more than enough). Thread twelve blue 1mm beads onto the wire then thread the ends through the blue beads on the bracelet (as indicated on the diagram). Thread the ends of the wire through the beads in the bracelet until the wires are next to each other then tie a knot. Thread the ends through the beads in the bracelet to secure it then cut the ends, repeat to the other end of the bracelet.

Step 18: Attach a metal loop to the loop of blue beads on each end of the bracelet, then attach a metal clasp. You’ve finished!

Ta-dah! The finished bracelet!

Happy new year!

Our New Year celebrations were spent indoors with the new addition to the family!

Affie’s routine has been completely obliterated over the Christmas holiday so we thought we could all stay up for the countdown to the New Year.  However, it didn’t quite work out that way. Somebody fell asleep during the countdown...

Knackered...