Every once in a while, it’s nice to give yourself a little something. Today’s craft is elegant yet simple, and like most of the crafts I throw together, takes about an afternoon’s work for a lifetime of delight. (And that’s not overstating the amount of delight in any way, whatsoever.)
Based on designer Chan Luu’s artistic pieces (which sell at Saks Fifth Avenue for upward of $200), this boho-style leather wrap bracelet comes together in a little over an hour at a mere fraction of the price. In fact, depending on the beads used and length of your design, you could easily make a wrap bracelet for less than $10. Extrapolating, you could then use the other $190 to take yourself out for a pretty nice date — and look swanky doing it.
What you’ll need:
Beads
Leather cord (double the intended length of the bracelet)
Shank button
Beading thread
Needle
Super glue
Scissors
Clipboard or cutting board
2 binder clips
Measure your bracelet length: Before you begin, it's important to figure out whether you want a single, double or longer wrap bracelet. This will determine how much leather cord you'll need.
To measure the length of the bracelet, wrap the leather cord around your wrist to the desired length. Once established, fold the cord back over itself to double its length.
Ready your surface: Turn your work board so that it is running left to right. Using the binder clips, attach the folded point of the cord to the left end of your board, and the loose ends of the cord to the right end. Doing so will create two taught, parallel lines of cord running left to right, one about 1/4 inch above the other.
Attach your beads: Double thread your needle. Attach the end of the thread via double knot to the bottom cord, about 1 1 1/2 inches down from the attached folded end on the left. Super glue the knot and trim the excess thread.
Thread one bead and place it between the two cords. Loop the thread over the top cord, and sew back down through the bead. Coming though the bottom of the bead, loop the thread under the bottom cord, then back over and thread the next bead. Continue adding the beads in this manner (placed between the cords and attached in a through/over/back through/under manner) until all beads are attached, or you have reached your desired length.
Tie off the thread via double knot and super glue the knot. Trim the excess threads.
Finish your piece: Remove the bracelet from the board. Tie a slip knot on the leather cord near the folded end of the bracelet; this accentuates the fold, which now looks like a loop.
Tie another knot at the other end of the leather cord. Slide the shank button onto the cord, and tie a knot on the other side of the button.
Running left to right, the finished bracelet has a loop, a decorative knot, the beaded part of the bracelet, another decorative knot, the shank button and a final decorative knot. Wrap the bracelet around your wrist, and use the loop and button as an enclosure.
Enjoy!
