Mixed Bead Bracelet

Today’s jewelry project is a fun mixed beaded bracelet.  We will be making our own charms for this one, and what is neat about these particular beads is that you can actually fit a bead inside another bead to get this look.

Because these beads are pretty specific if you want to re-create this look, I’m going to share the link to where I got the ring beads at Happy Mango Beads.  (They’re not sponsoring this post – I’m just a fan!)

What you will need:

• Howlite Moroccan Ring Beads
• Center bead that is approximately 6mm
• 18 Gauge Wire
• Round Nosed Pliers
• Wire Cutters
• Jump Rings
• Chain and Clasp (you can use loose chain, or do what I did, and use what you need from an existing bracelet chain)

First, you will need to make your charms.  Cut a length of wire about 4 inches.  Create a closed loop on the end.  Here’s how:

First, move down about 3/4 to 1 inch from the end of your wire.  Bend it around your round-nosed pliers, forming a loop.  Take the small “tail” and wrap it around the longer one directly under the loop.  (You may need a pair of pliers to accomplish this – the shorter your “tail”, the tougher it is on your fingers!)  Once you’ve wrapped it 1-2 times, nip off any excess with your wire cutters.

Now, add your beads.  You’ll go first through one hole of the Moroccan bead, then add the oval center bead.  Then, go through the other hole.  Now, you’ll need to make a second closed loop on this end to close it off.  It’s just like the first one.  You will want to start your loop a couple mm away from the bead though – to leave room for wrapping the tail, without putting too much pressure on the bead.

I made 3 charms and connected them together with jump rings (tip: use 2 jump rings instead of one to make the connection more secure!) but you can make however many you like.  Determine the length of your beaded section to find how much chain you will need.

The average bracelet is 7”.  You can make yours more or less if you have larger or smaller wrists.  (And if your beads are very large, you should make the bracelet a little longer – big beads make it smaller around your wrist!)  Because I was using an existing chain, I just measured against the chain, and removed the section that my beads took up.  I connected the chain ends to the beaded section, and had a finished bracelet in about 15 minutes!