Beaded Bracelets, Bangles, Cuffs: The Beadwork Team’s Favorite Designs

We like to call summer “bracelet season” because short sleeves allow bracelets their time to shine. A great thing about bracelets is how easy they are to stack, mix and match, and pile on to be extra festive. The Beadwork team has chosen their current favorite beaded bracelet designs to share with you. Make these and other favorites now, before bracelet season runs out! And be sure to tell us about your favorite beaded bracelets in the comments below.

Cowgirl Boots to Flip-Flops: Where Triangles Meet Beaded Bracelet

This Where Triangles Meet bracelet by Cindy Kinerson hits all the right notes for me – Southwest style plus seed beads, a bit of sparkle, the natural look of leather, and the opportunity to show off a favorite button. I love the way she uses wrap bracelet techniques to create a beautiful cuff using loomwork and a variation of brick stitch. I’d wear this beaded bracelet all summer and beyond.

Bead-loom weaving is one of my favorite beadwork techniques. Once your loom is set up, the weaving itself is meditative and relaxing. The resulting beadwork feels like a dimensional tapestry. Leather cord provides structure for the loomed beadwork and Cindy cleverly uses it to make a button-and-loop closure.

When I interviewed Cindy for Bead Artist in Beadwork October/November 2020, she admitted that she’s hooked on cowgirl style. She made her first wrap bracelet eight years ago and it’s still her favorite piece of jewelry. It goes perfectly with the cowgirl boots she wears nearly every day! Where Triangles Meet is destined for everyday wear, too, whether you’re rocking cowgirl boots or flip-flops this summer.

Katie Hacker
Editor, Beadwork

Oh, the Colors! SuperDuo Spiral Bangle

The SuperDuo Spiral bangle appeared on the cover of Beadwork, October/November 2015. I fell in love the second that issue hit my mailbox. The colors likely caught my eye, or maybe it was the texture, or maybe the shape of the finished design — who doesn’t love a bangle?! Lisa Kan’s beaded bracelet design combines tubular peyote and right-angle weave to create this deceptively simple bead weaving project. A hidden core material offers the structure we all love in a bangle.

I remember, not long after the pattern hit my Top-5-to-Make-Right-Away list, running into Lisa at a show. We talked industry stuff then I gushed all over this pattern and all the others she had on display in her booth. Lisa’s style and flair speaks to me! Then I enjoyed shopping for beads to make the bracelet–I’ll say it again, “the colors!” I just love the impact the combinations create along with the pattern tubular peyote imparts.

I think the SuperDuo Spiral bangle also speaks to me as it’s reminiscent of bead crochet. Although not my strength, I just love the look and feel of rolling bead crochet bangles onto my wrist. I especially love wearing a series of bangles during the warmer months when long sleeves are not hindering showing them off.

Beyond Beaded Bracelets

Speaking of bead crochet, and although not a beaded bracelet, I have to shout out to my still-on-the-list-to-make favorite for-real bead crochet design, Mr. Wilson by Karen Ovington. I just love this guy and the beads Karen used to create the bead crochet rope. I now have my own Mr.Wilson-like bead by Karen, and hope to be wearing one of my own necklace versions, soon!

Happy Summer!
Tammy Honaman, Director of Content, Interweave

To Clasp or Not to Clasp: Ouroboros Dragon Cuff

The instant that Michelle Leonardo’s Ouroboros Dragon Cuff came across my desk for editing, I knew that I absolutely HAD to make one. (I’ve actually made two, now!) It is a show-stopping piece that provided such a rewarding challenge. The most intimidating thing about the pattern is the freeform peyote stitch dragon head clasp. I wasn’t sure I could be so “free” (without a diagram) and still end up with something that looked good.

My workaround to the problem was to stitch the Dragon Scale Cuff first, which has a very similar bracelet pattern, without the beaded dragon head clasp. That went well enough that I felt like I could tackle the Ouroboros in all its freeform glory, and I was pleasantly surprised at how it turned out! I shared my success on social media and found that I was able to answer questions about the pattern for other beaders who had attempted it. I’m glad that I got up the guts and took the time to make it, because I’ve been able to help readers troubleshoot the pattern and have success beading the cuff. I hope you’ll try it, too!

Meredith Steele
Technical Editor, Beadwork