When I saw a bead mix assortment packet in wintery shades of blue and white, I knew that I had to make something from the lovely mix. Since I am always working with my hands, making stuff, writing about it, or cooking, I really can't wear jangley bracelets that move too freely, so I figured out a way to combine the solidity of a cuff with the fun of a chain charm bracelet. End of problem! Lots of movement, but not flopping about uncontrollably.
Materials & Tools:
Bead mix packet in color scheme of your choice, approximately 75 to 100 grams
18 twisted leaf pendants, color to match beads
9 inches 16 gauge sterling silver wire
7 ½ inch sterling silver flat curb chain bracelet
Approximately 70 jump rings
30 head pins, 2 inch
Giant lobster claw clasp
Ball peen hammer
Wire cutters
Round nose pliers
Flat nose pliers
File
Measuring tape
1. Cut a piece of 16 gauge wire to 9
inches. Flatten the last ¼ inch on both ends of the wire with the
ball peen hammer. File the edges to round and smooth them.
2. Create a gentle bend 1 inch from each
end. Using the round nose pliers, curl the the end into the
beginnings of a spiral, with the flattened end flat against the outer
curve. Remove the clasp from the chain bracelet, and attach one end
to the closed loop with a jump ring.
3. Create an identical curl on the other
end of the wire. Wrap the bracelet loosely around the wire cuff and
attach it to the other loop with a jump ring. Form the bracelet into
a cuff shape with your hands or around a mandrel.
4. Hang 18 twisted leaf pendants from 2
jump rings each. Space 9 of them evenly along the bracelet, and
anchor them through the chain and also around the wire with the top
jump ring to keep the chain from untwisting. Hang the
second set of 9 leaves from the pendant wire of each of the first set
so that they dangle down lower.
5. Make 30 dangles from the bead mix
assortment. Close each with a wrapped loop. Divide them
up and space them out so that there are 3 dangles between the first
two leaves on each side, and 4 dangles between each of the rest of
the leaves. Use jump rings to attach them to the chain, also
occasionally going around the cuff wire too.
6. Attach the large lobster claw clasp
to one loop of the cuff, using enough jump rings to make the bracelet
fit your wrist comfortably.
Copyright 2014 Cyndi Lavin. All rights reserved. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distributed electronically provided that entire file, including this notice, remains intact.
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Comments
-Berina
Moxie Craftie
This is so timely! I'm finishing up a bracelt for Valentine's right now and was concerning about the floppiness issue, plus the clain alone looks so puny.
Then I'll go back and add thiese rings to some of my other charm bracelets.
Thank you. Thank you!