Fabric - Bead Bracelet Tutorial

Hello! I have been wanting to do a tutorial for a long time but I didn't know what to do. Then, it just came to me. You know those moments when the light bulb goes on, you then get a huge smile on your face, and get all giddy. That is what happened to me last night.

My vision turned out . . . and I will share with you all the steps to make your own bracelet.

List:

1. Wooden beads
2. Sand paper
3. Extra beads of your choice
4. Fabric
5. Scissors
6. Fabric tack
7. Stretchy cord
8. Glimmer ( I don't know the proper name but see image further below)
9. Paint
10. 2-3 paint brushes

The finished look. . . okay let's begin

Find some wooden beads of your choice. I like the large ones for a bolder statement.

Start sanding. You want to sand off all the shine/coat to make sure the paint will stick.

Next, paint your beads with one coat. Another coat will come later.

Get out your glimmer. Sorry, I don't know the correct name for this stuff.

When the first coat of paint is dry, apply another coat to your beads. However, this time don't paint them all at once. Do a few and then brush on some glimmer while the beads are still tacky from the paint.

You might need two paint brushes for this task (applying on the glimmer) and don't use the brush that you are using for the painting) because the brush will probably get damp from the paint and a dry brush works better.

Here is the finished look of the beads. They are shiny and pretty!

Oh, don't worry about getting an even coat of glimmer. It adds more character when everything is not perfect.

Use your scissors to cut triangles from a piece of fabric. Use your creativity.

You can choose all different colors, widths, lengths, etc.

Mine were .5 inches - 1.5 inches in width

and about 8 inches in length.

Again don't worry about perfection. Be random.

I used a paint brush as a dowel but I wish I could have found something a little smaller but I am happy. (Some of the ends of the fabric bead got a little large.)

Next, apply a tad of fabric tack to the right side of the widest part of your fabric and down both sides of the wrong side of the fabric to the end of the triangle.

Now, roll it up. I like holding it like this because you can twist the dowel and guide the fabric with your thumb. You will get sticky.

Here is one done.

I did five. All a little different.

Trim up the edges and stray threads if you chose.

As the beads are drying get out your stretchy cord.

Now start playing! Arrange and rearrange until you are happy.

Make sure it fits your wrist. Not too big. Not too small.

I had extra wooden beads and fabric beads left over.

I will use them for another bracelet later.

Then, make a surgeon's knot to secure the ends.

Source: Bead Style

Place a tad of fabric tack on the knot.

Trim the extra cord and tuck in the knot into a bead.

DONE!

Have fun!

AND ENJOY YOUR NEW BRACELET!

Once you make one, you can't help but to think of all the new color combinations, bead options, etc.

Please be sure to share with me your new creations.