DIY Leather Wrap Bracelet

These have been popping up everywhere:

PINTEREST



via pinterest

 

via pinterest



STORES - CHAN LUU

ETSY - LEE LA LA

I do not have a lot of experience in the jewelry making department other than making friendship bracelets back in the day like it was my job.  I decided to test out my skills and see if I could replicate something similar to one of these awesome bracelets.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Leather Lace

Bead Cord - NYMO preferred

4mm Beads

Beading Needle

Decorative Button

Safety Pin/Cardboard or Clipboard

Step 1:  Measure the leather lace around your wrist to determine the length of your bracelet.  Since I wanted it to wrap around twice, I doubled the length of my wrist.  I ended up cutting 1.5 yards of thread (will be folded in half = 3/4 yard per side).

Step 2:   I looked everywhere - about 3 craft stores for Nymo thread and didn't find any...I opted out and used a thin beading cord.  Also, try to find thread that coordinates with the leather lace.  Mine was a gold color which matched the beads I used, but it showed up fairly well against the leather lace.  Next time I will use a dull neutral colored cord that is less noticeable.

Use a considerate amount of beading thread.  I cut mine 2 yards and it ended up being short.  Double the amount that you used for your lace just to be safe.

Step 3:  Fold the leather lace in half with the beading cord intertwined, tie a loop in the top.

Step 4: Using a clipboard or a piece of cardboard and a safety pin, secure the bracelet so that it does not move while you are working.

Step 5: Knot the beading thread around a piece of the lace and figure-8 a couple of times at the top in order to secure it in place.

Step 6:  Begin threading the beads...this part is a little tricky at first but once you get some beads in place it comes together.  Start out by looping the beading thread under the leather lace on the left hand side - this should place the thread in the middle of the two pieces of lace.

Step 7:  Put the needle on the end of the thread and insert a bead.  I didn't have a bead needle so I used a regular one.  The flexibility of a bead needle would have been nice though, so I recommend using one if you can.

 

Step 8:  Take the thread and loop over the right piece of lace. 

Step 9:  Go under the right side of the thread and go through the bead.  Pull tight to secure.

Step 10:  Bring the thread over the left piece of lace and then under to bring to the center.  Add another bead.

Step 11:  Repeat this process, pushing the beads up against one another and securing the thread tightly between each bead.

Step 12:  Measure the length of the bracelet against your wrist as you make progress.  You want to make sure you end at a good stopping point where the bracelet where wrap around your wrist a certain amount of times evenly.

Step 13:  Once you are pleased with the length, secure the last bead onto the lace by tying two knots with the bead cord.  Take both pieces of lace with the cord in between and tie a knot at the end. 

 

Step 14:  Insert your decorative button.  Mine had one loop in the back, so I inserted the cord through the loop and secured it to the lace by tying several knots with the bead cord.  Then, I tied a knot with the two pieces of lace.

Step 15:  Cut off access lace/cord.

Step 16:  Admire your finished bracelet!

There are several things I would change next time I make one of these bracelets - use different colored cord, make it wrap a couple more times around my wrist, and cut a LARGE amount of cord to thread with.  Practice makes perfect though and for my first attempt it ain't too shabby!  I am wearing it today layered with several other bracelets!