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Band of Flowers Bracelet

by Dwyn Tomlinson

This dazzling bracelet is crafted of 4 mm, 6 mm and 8 mm fire-polished Czech-made crystal beads, and is woven on thread. While it might look complicated, it is actually quite simple once you get going. It adapts techniques used in seed bead weaving, but because the beads are so much larger, you can make this in an evening, instead of days or weeks!

The beads projecting as "stems" of the flowers, the decorative edge, are called a picot edge (each one is a picot), and is optional.

This bracelet, made a little longer, also makes a very handsome choker necklace. Choose a non-toggle clasp for a necklace, as toggle clasps tend to open by themselves if they do not have the weight of the piece constantly pulling on them to keep them closed.

Supplies

Supplies needed are:

aprox 25 x 4 mm firepolish Montana AB
aprox 80 x 6 mm firepolish Light Sapphire Azuro
aprox 12 x 8 mm firepolish Crystal AB

Or you can choose other colors, select the 4mm and 6 mm beads to match, and the 8 mm beads in a contrasting color.
Nylon beading thread, i.e. Nymo®, or alternately, you can use Powerpro®, which is a very strong braided beading thread.
beading needle
2 crimp beads, sterling silver, or metal beads with large, smooth holes
clasp, pewter

Tools required are:

scissors or thread cutter

Getting Started

This bracelet is constructed by starting at one end with the clasp, working down the bracelet making the circular sections with their center bead, adding the end clasp, and working back add the picot trim, and finally adding the dangle.

Cut about 6 yards of thread. (I usually measure off against the length of my arm.) Thread your needle to the middle of the thread to double the thread. If you are using PowerPro® then you won't need to double the thread, and you can use about 3 yards. We are using the thread doubled because the holes in these beads are relatively large and we don't want them to "wobble" on the thread.

Add one half of the clasp. (Either half is fine.). Move the toggle to the end (the opposite end to where the needle is), and knot it securely into position. Use a surgeon’s knot. Be sure to leave a long enough tail of thread that you can thread the ends in later for a nice, neat look (at least 6 inches.

For the purposes of making these pictures easier to follow, I have sometimes hidden the ends of the threads as I went along, but generally, this is the last step that you do.

Slip on a sterling crimp tube to hide the knot. I use a crimp bead because it has a large hole, but any bead with a large hole will do — including the bracelet beads. I happen to like a touch of metal next to the clasp!

Next, we’ll create a graceful transition from the clasp to the body of the bracelet, so that the clasp doesn’t look like an afterthought.

Thread on the first 6 beads:

2 x 4 mm beads,
1 x 6 mm bead, and
3 x 4 mm beads.

Loop around and go back through the first 4 mm bead.

Go back through the sterling crimp tube (avoid running your needle through the knot). Go through the clasp again, and back up through the sterling crimp bead.

This gets another loop of thread through the clasp for extra strength. If you are using PowerPro or SoftTouch, this step is optional.

Now, we need to turn that line of beads into a circle. So, go through all the beads again, and then thread from No. 6 into No. 2, then 3, then 4.

Avoid accidentally “splitting the thread” by running the needle accidentally through the thread when going through beads a second time. Split thread is weakened and more prone to breaking and you will also not be able to snug up the thread nice and tight and get a good tension. You will find that you can avoid the thread that is already inside the bead by pressing the tip of the needle to the edge of the hole inside the bead as you go through an already threaded bead.

Now we make the first of the circular “repeating elements” that make up the body of the design. This is 6 beads in a circle, with a centre bead anchored between them.

Add:

5 x 6 mm beads

Pass through the first 6 mm bead again. Keep the tension on the beads and thread tight.

Now to add the center of the flower. Thread on one 8 mm bead.

Now go through the 6 mm bead on the opposite side of the circle.

Go back through the 8 mm centre bead, and snug up the thread.

Pass back through the 6 mm bead on the opposite side (that you just came from, and go back through the 8 mm bead again and into the 6 mm bead again, from the opposite side this time. You have now anchored the 8 mm bead in the center of the circle of beads with and X shaped crisscross of thread.

The diagram below should make this much clearer.

Now you know how to make the basic circle element that is repeated over and over to make the bracelet!

Carry on making the circle elements in exactly the same way, until you have enough for a bracelet.

Remember to keep the tension on the thread nice and tight as you work! Keep tension on the thread by keeping it tight over your finger while you work.

When measuring for length, don’t forget to allow for length of the length of the clasp and the connecting bridge to the bracelet.

How long is a bracelet?
The average length of a commercially-made bracelet, for the North American market, is 7 - 7.5 inches. However, this does not take into account that people come in different sizes. Slight, petite people with very slender wrists are more likely to prefer a 6 inch bracelet, so that it doesn’t fall off their wrists, while more statuesque people may find that 8 inches is more comfortable and has a more attractive drape on the wrist, and is easier to put on and take off.

When you have made the bracelet long enough (you can see from the picture above that I make mine quite long) - you can now add the clasp. As with the start of the bracelet, there is a "bridge to the clasp. This is very similar to the beginning of the bracelet.

Add

3 x 4 mm beads,
the sterling crimp tube bead,
the remaining half of the clasp,
2 x 4 mm beads.

Pass through the 6 mm bead that you came out of.

Work the thread around the bridge twice for a nice strong connection. Keep the tension tight. Tie an overhand knot between two of the beads to keep the tension on the thread.

Adding the Picot Edge (Optional)

Of course, you can stop right where you are with this and have a very attractive bracelet (or choker).

But you don't have to stop here! You can add a picot edge, and you can add it to just one side, or try adding it to both sides. (Work done one side and back up the other.)

Now, go back through the 6 mm bead on one side of the bracelet (either side is fine), and come out between the two 6 mm beads on the side of the first flower element.

Add

a 6 mm bead,
and a 4 mm bead
go back through the 6 mm bead,
and back through the next bead of the flower

Repeat by going through the side bead of the next flower, adding a 6 mm and 4mm bead, and so on.

Adding the Final Dangle

Well - how are you doing so far? Feel up to the challenge of adding one more item?

I like to add a dangle or something at the clasp. It adds weight to the clasp area, which helps to keep the bracelet turning downward on your wrist, so that the clasp won't be always on the top of your wrist. And, should the clasp insist on rotating to the top, the dangle provides an item that is more visually interesting than the clasp by itself. ;-)

To make the dangle, exit next to the bridge to the clasp, and thread:

1 x 6 mm bead,
1 x 4 mm,
6 x 6 mm beads

Pass through the first 6 mm bead, to create a circle.

Add the center bead exactly the same way as we did for the circle elements and when completed, work back up through the two beads supporting the dangle. Finish the bracelet by passing through a couple of beads, doing an overhand knot, working through a couple more beads, knotting, and pulling the thread through a couple more beads, and carefully cutting the thread off very close.

The Final Steps

To weave in the ends, take a loose ends and thread it onto a needle, and work it back into the beads. Thread through a couple of beads, make an overhand knot between two beads around the main thread, pass through a couple more beads, knot again, thread through a couple more beads, and cut the end close, very carefully! You don’t want to accidentally cut the main thread after you’ve finished everything else! Repeat for each loose thread. And there you have it. You've learned a lot with this project!

Variations

With the elements you have learned here, the right angle weave variation with a centre element, the picot edge, and the dangle, you can build on this and create a variety of bracelets and chokers. Try other color combinations, such as jet and garnet, or different finishes and textures, such as matt and glossy. Try a picot decoration on both sides. Or try adding a dangle to every circular element, like the following example. Or alternate a picot and a dangle.

Some basics about working with thread

After measuring off and cutting the amount of thread you are going to use, you will need to stretch out the thread.

This is for two reasons. If the thread still has stretch in it, your finished project will eventually loosen up and gaps will appear between the beads. This will make the finished project less attractive. Stretching the thread will also make it more manageable and easier to handle, and less likely to snarl itself into knots.

Working from one end of the thread to the other, grasp the thread in sections and stretch out until you feel it not stretching any more. After it has been stretched, run the thread over a warm surface, such a light bulb or glass lampshade, keeping a light tension on the thread. This also “irons” the thread and makes it even easier to handle.

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