Blog posts of '2016' 'May'

With the summer heat also come bare arms just begging for a bracelet with a hint of relaxed glamour. The wrap bracelet in the ladder stitch meets all that.

Challenge:

• Regular and symmetrical weaving.

Supplies for the wrap bracelet :

• 6x6 mm beads
• 1,5 mm leather cord
• S-lon weaving cord # 18
• a 1,5 to 2 cm button
• needles and jewelry glue
• scissors, flush cutter and a beading surface
• optionally beeswax

Instructions for wrap bracelet in ladder stitch:

• two wraps take about 1,20 meter of leather cord or 60 cm for a one wrap bracelet
• cut the leather with your flush cutter
• fold the leather cord in two, thread the button and pull it to the center
• make an simple overhand knot with the doubled leather cord

• cut off about 2,75 meters of S-lon cord; you want to have enough weaving cord to finish the bracelet in one go
• pass the S-lon cord with a needle through a part of the leather knot and pull the cord through up to halfway
• place the S-lon cords on the outside and keep both pieces of leather in the middle

Start braiding:

• *pass the left weaving cord over the left leather cord and then underneath the right leather cord
• next, pass the right weaving cord over the right leather cord and underneath the left leather cord
• tighten up the weaving cords**, you just crossed two S-lon cords
• while repeating the movement from * till ** three or four times, you will be creating a small piece in herringbone

• tighten by pulling the weaving cords towards the base and secure them with a simple overhand knot
• to work more easily, pass the weaving cords through some beeswax
• wrap each weaving cord twice around its matching leather cord,
• thus the left weaving cord around the left leather cord and the right weaving cord around the right leather cord
• string a 6 mm bead on the right weaving cord
• * pass the left weaving cord through the other side of the beads, thus in the opposite direction

• you just crossed the two weaving cords in the bead
• now go with each weaving cord underneath its leather cord and then upwards,
• thus right below right and then upwards
• left below left and then upwards**

• string another 6 mm bead on the right weaving cord and repeat from * till **

SEE - part 2

CONTINUATION: the ladder stitch

• this resumes to the following S-lon cord movement:
• for the leather cord = right underneath and up, left underneath and up
• for the bead = right through right and left through left
• in short: under, up and through
• maintain the tension in your S-lon cord and continue till you obtain the desired length.

To finish:

• wrap the left weaving cord twice around the left leather cord en
• wrap the right weaving cord twice around the right leather cord
• cross the two weaving cords and make twice an overhand knot
• create a small piece in herringbone:
• * put the left weaving cord over the left leather cord and then underneath the right leather cord
• after that you go with the right weaving cord over the right leather cord and underneath the left leather cord **
• repeat this movement from * till ** three or four times
• make twice a simple knot and assure yourself that they are in the center in between the pieces of leather
• apply on both sides of your work a dab of glue on the knots.
• add a loop for the button: make an overhand knot with the two leather cords together at a distance of 1,5 to 2 cm
• do not tighten the knot completely, but first make sure that the loop is large enough for the button
• if that is the case, apply a drop of jewelry glue inside the knot and tighten
• let dry and cut the excess cords.

Comments:

• vary also the width. For example, create 30 cm with 4 mm beads, 30 cm with 6 mm beads and to finish again 30 cm with 4 mm beads.
• when working with smaller beads, you might want to replace S-lon cord with doubled S-lon thread.
• Of course, instead of working with a single bead, you can line up several small beads or seed beads 6/0, give your imagination free reign. However, it would be advisable to work with 2 mm leather cord.
• If you create this bracelet for sale, add two loops for the button so you may adjust the bracelet's size easily.

The plain whipping:

• for a professional finishing touch and to hide the glue and knots, cover the ends with silk wrapping (S-lon weaving cord) in a harmonizing or contrasting color and a plain whipping knot (common whipping or wolf whipping). Plain whipping is an elegant ligature method which prevents the threads to unravel.

Choose your favorite beads @ http://dunebeads.com/en/ !

Do not forget: have fun, because practice makes perfect. See you soon!