BEADING Rag weaving wt   5 Comments 3 min read

Make This Quick Bracelet with Two-holed Seed Beads

Join us at Maker Festivals Colorado, the ultimate crafting extravaganza in Loveland from April 10-13, 2024, where the beloved Yarn Fest evolves with an exciting addition of beads and jewelry artists!

Remember that beaded necklace I talked about in last week’s Beading Daily that used the vintage Swarovski crystal beads I bought from my friend Beki’s destash sale? Well, as I worked up that necklace base, I made a mistake — and realized that it makes an awesome easy bracelet making project! I love it when that happens and what I think is a mistake actually turns into something beautiful, fast, and wearable.

This bracelet making project is a great exercise in keeping your tension snug and even. Making multiple passes through each set of beads will give the finished bracelet strength and flexibility, and because it works up so fast (in about two hours), you’ll want to make one for everyone on your holiday gift list.

After I made the first two versions of this bracelet making project with SuperDuo two-holed seed beads, I used some copper-lined Twins with copper metallic round druks. Because the Twins aren’t as consistent in shape as the SuperDuos, the bracelet had a much softer, more organic feel to it. Try it yourself and see which version you like better!

Materials

  • 10 grams SuperDuo two-holed seed beads (A)
  • 1 gram size 15 seed beads (B)
  • 2 grams size 11 seed beads (C)
  • 60 round glass druk beads, 3mm (D)
  • Button or clasp of your choice
  • Fireline 6 lb. beading thread in color to match or contrast with SuperDuo beads

Tools

  • Size 12 beading needle
  • Scissors or thread cutter
  • Flat nose or chain nose pliers (for pulling needle through tight spots)

Step-by-step Instructions

Step 1: Using a 10 foot (two wingspan) length of thread, pick up 1 B, 1 D, 1 B, 1 A. Repeat for a total of 4 D and 4 A. Leaving a 12″ tail, pass through all the beads again and pull snugly to form a ring. Pass through the next A.
Step 2: Make a turn. Pass your needle through the top (empty) hole of the A you’re exiting and pull snugly.
Step 3: Pick up 1 C and pass through the empty hole of the next A. Repeat until you have added 4 C, one in between each A. Pass through all beads again, pulling snugly, exiting an A.
Step 4: Make another turn. Pass your needle through the outer hole of the A you are currently exiting, and through the next B-D-B.
Step 5: Pick up the next set of beads for the next unit. Pick up 1 A, 1 B, 1 D, 1 B. Repeat until you have a total of 4 A and 3 B. Pass through all beads again, exiting from an A, and repeat from Step 2. You’ll need to work your way around each unit in order to make sure that you’re exiting from the correct side as you add each new unit.

For a 7 1/2″ bracelet, you’ll need to make about 18 units. Make sure to adjust the number of 3mm druks you use if you decide to make a longer or shorter bracelet.

Step 6: To add the button clasp, exit from a B-D-B unit. Pick up 2 C, 1 B, 1 D, 1 B. Pick up approximately 8 B (or however many beads you need to get through the shank of your button), and pass back through the last B-D-B added. Pick up 2 C, and pass back through the B-D-B you exited at the beginning of this step. Repeat the thread path to secure, weave your thread into the bracelet, knot, and trim.
Step 7: To add the loop, work your thread tail through the unit until you are exiting from the side B-D-B unit. Pick up 2 C, 1 B, 1 D, 1 B. Pick up as many C as necessary to form a secure loop around your button. (I used 35 beads for this loop.) Pass back through the last B-D-B you added. Pick up 2 C, and pass through the B-D-B unit you exited at the beginning of this step. Repeat the thread path to strengthen your loop, then weave your thread into the bracelet, knot, and trim.
The color combinations with this bracelet making project are endless! The bottom (copper) sample is stitched with Twin two-holed seed beads, and the top two samples are stitched with SuperDuo beads. If you don’t want to use 3mm druk beads, try substituting size 8 or size 6 seed beads, or even 3mm crystal bicones.

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Bead Happy,

Jennifer

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