Friday, June 28, 2013

Braids and Bracelets and Beads, Oh My!


   I decided to try my hand, or in this case wrist, at making something other than earrings so I ventured into bracelets. I decided I wanted to make braided bracelets with micro-suede string. I tried various styles and had lots of flops. I found that I enjoy working with wire and enjoy braiding. Some of the couple dozen bracelets I have made I like more than others. The process has not been without its ups and downs. I mostly check websites like Pinterest and craft blogs for inspiration, but I seldom follow tutorials step-by-step. So I basically “wing it” when it comes to my creations. Once I have the braid I secure the ends and use artistic wire to string and attach the beads.

   The clasps on the braided bracelets gave me a bit of a challenge, but I am improving this technique...I think. I make the braids longer than I want the bracelet to be then I thread the end through a jump ring or the actual clasp, if it has a round connector. I fold the end back and use an all-purpose craft glue to secure it the back side of the bracelet. As I hold it to secure the bond I wrap some artistic wire around for extra support. Once the glue is dry and the fold-over is secure, I trim the excess micro-suede.
   I cannot let this blog post go without a mention of the feline friends I have in the neighborhood. In addition to the two feral rescues I own, or, excuse me, the two feral rescue cats that own me, I sometimes get visited by neighborhood kitties. They tend to provide fun periodic breaks from sometimes monotonous jewelry creation. Here is a photo of one such visiting feline friend I call NMC...Not My Cat.


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