Hey, guys! Welcome back to Talk Fabulous!
I love making jewelry. For anyone that’s seen my jewelry collection, though, knows that I have a lot of pieces. Of course, there’s ALWAYS room for more, but I’ve cut down on my production. When my sis-in-law asked me to make bracelets for her bridesmaids, I was especially excited. I get to make lovely jewelry for a beautiful bride and her bridesmaids and I don’t have to find a home for the pieces in my collection? Sign me up!
After talking with the bride-to-be and seeing some of her ideas on Pinterest, I had a pretty good idea of what she wanted. I made a few prototypes, got her approval and set out to make the bracelets. Knowing I needed to make bracelets for women with varying wrist sizes, I used elastic bead cord. Specifically, the 0.5mm Stretch Magic Bead & Jewelry Cord (find it here from Michaels). Not only does the elastic bead cord make it easy to fit anyone, it’s also nice as it eliminates the need for clasps and things of that nature. For this reason, it’s the perfect project for someone who is just getting into making jewelry. Next, we’ll need some beads. It’s important to get a nice balance of beads. You’ll want varying sizes, textures, and colors. I find it’s easiest to start with a few star beads that are the main focus of the item. Along with those main pieces, you also need some spacers or filler beads to add balance to the jewelry. The next step is to lay out the pattern. My jewelry must have
symmetry, so all the beads are laid out beforehand to ensure a uniform look. This also gives you a way to envision what your final product will look like without stringing the beads. Too many times I’ve strung on the beads only to find I didn’t like the pattern. That’s frustrating and a huge waste of time. Once your pattern is laid out the way you want it, it’s time to add the beads. I find this very soothing for some reason. Maybe that’s just me. After all the beads have been added, I make sure the bracelet is long enough by slipping it around my wrist. When you do that, you can easily tell if you need to add or remove beads. Finally, the bracelet is secured by tying many, many, knots. I tie square knots, but I’m sure there are more fancy ways to tie off a bracelet out there if you’re so inclined. Voila! That’s it! They turned out really pretty and my sis-in-law was happy with them as well, which is, of course, the most important part!
Do you make jewelry? What are some of your favorite projects?
That’s all for today. See you guys in my next post!
lylas,
MissyAnn
Talk Fabulous 