If you read here often, you know my jewelry style by now, and you know I love pieces that use natural elements. I really embraced the natural angle with today’s bracelet and used hemp and leather with stone, bone, and lava beads in several layers. What do you think?
I’m going to leave links to today’s products, because this is exactly the kind of tutorial where I get lots of questions about where to find some of these beads and findings. The links below are not affiliate links, I don’t make any money by endorsing them, I just want to share where they came from in case you’d like to make a bracelet like this for yourself!
The beauty of pieces like this is that you can use whatever you like. I will tell you how I made mine, but experiment with your own style! Here’s what I used –
- Leather Cord – I used both 1mm and 2mm cord. Layered pieces like this make great stash busters for exactly that reason!
- Hemp Twine – I used a combination of 10 lb. and 20 lb thicknesses.
- Glue-on end caps and jewelry glue – these are 7mm end caps and I prefer Aleene’s for jewelry glue. Anything that is suitable to use on metal should work just fine, though!
- Beads you love! I used a few coordinating glass seed beads and some bone spacer beads, natural magnesite stone beads, and lava beads from Happy Mango Beads. I love their natural bead selections. I mean, I just plain love beads – but they have some rare and unique beads that I haven’t found anywhere else!
First – cut several lengths of cord. I cut mine to 9 – 10 inches. That gives me room to work, and to trim the ends up evenly at the end. You are only going for a 7-inch bracelet but it’s so much easier to work with slightly longer strings.
String a few beads on to each strand. There was no pattern to the way I did it, I just mixed things up!
When I had as many strands as what would fit into my 7mm end caps, I tied a knot and added a dot of jewelry glue about 2 inches from the end of the bracelet.
Then, I wrapped it snugly to the end of the bracelet.
At the end, I trimmed it off, and glued on the end cap to secure it.
I arranged my cords so that they weren’t twisted, and wrapped up and glued the other side just the same. I attached a toggle clasp to my bracelet (and if you pick up this particular set of end caps, the clasp comes as part of the set!)
This is the first time I have tried wrapping the ends before gluing the caps on, and while it’s not necessary, I really like the effect! It also keeps all the beads right on top and within the same few inches of the bracelet. It’s a technique I will definitely use again.
What styles are you enjoying this summer? What are you planning for the fall?
I have been weaving for about 5 months now. I absolutely love natural fibers . I found your site and was so excited to see your tutorials, especially for the boho style bracelet look. I truly like the natural beads and ribbon, etc. that I can use to create!
Thank you sooooooooo much for sharing these amazing tutorials. And by the way I purchased your two books to drive my creativity even further.
Awesome looking bracelet. I have a lot of difficulty with my finishing. Always not strong enough.
Thank you so much for this tutorial. Love love love the bracelet. Shared your post on my facebook page.
Nice lwant to try it
I love this and want to try it but how do you keep the beads from all just clumped together?
Adrianne, I really like it when different textures and mediums come together to create beautiful pieces like this bracelet.
I love this bracelet!! Thank you so much for the wonderful tutorial. I will definitely be making
this bracelet next.
Lava Beads! You make me remember a beautiful holiday on Island of Lanzarote …the Home of lava and olivine beads! Well…beautiful Bracelet and tutorial! Pinned!
Super cute!! Thanks for the tutorial!!
Very nice! I love lava beads anyway so I would love to give something like this a try.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful tutorial !