Let your creativity drive thisproject. Start with a focal beadand a handful of cylinders.Raid your old stashes to findcomplementary beads and

seeds, and you’re ready to go. Line upyour pieces for a preview, or threadbeads on the fly. If you live on the edge,build the bracelet with asymmetric

sides. This forgiving ladder-stitch design allows you to be creative andhave fun. So let yourself go, but be sure to use long cylinder beads everytwo or three rows to stabilize thebracelet. Stop to test your seed counts as you link rows to ensure that thebracelet lies flat but doesn’t look too loose.

stepbystepStart by stringing the center row, building first to one end, then the other. To make the uprights and rowslie flat, you’ll need to experiment with your seed bead counts. Thesedirections produce an 8-in. (.2m)bracelet with 31 rows.

106 beadandbutton.com

&LoopsLadders

Have fun making aneasy, two-needle bracelet

by Melody MacDuffee

Bead &Button • Apri l 2004 107

stringing the braceletCut a 4-ft. (1.2m) piece of Nymo,

condition it with beeswax, and thread aneedle on each end. String an agate, aspacer, a focal bead, a spacer, and anagate. Center the beads.

String three seed beads, a jade bead,and three seeds on both sides of the center row (photo a). (A focal beadwider than the 11mm bead shownrequires more seeds for the ladder to lie flat. Most 10-11mm centerpiecesrequire five to seven seeds.)

String a Czech bead, a jade bead, anagate, a jade, and a Czech on either needle. Continue through the end seed(photo b). Set this needle aside. Withyour second needle, go through the beadson the new row from the opposite direc-tion, picking up the first seed you cometo on the other side (photo c). Add fourto six seeds on each side. (The seed countdepends on the width of your row.)

Repeat step 3 (figure 1), using variedcombinations of beads on each row.

a

b

c

figure 1

Continue until you have 15 rows. Ifyou’re changing the bracelet’s length,continue until you are about two rowsshy of half the desired length. The beadsfor your end rung should be shorterthan the other rows.

Make a loop of seed beads just bigenough to fit around your button. Iused 23 seeds for a 5⁄8-in. (16mm) button(photo d). Run both threads throughthe loop beads and the last rung of yourbracelet several times to strengthen thisstress point (figure 2). Tie the tailstogether and dab the knot with glue.Pull the ends through the nearest beadthen cut off the tails.

Cut and condition 4 ft. of Nymo,then thread one needle on each end.

Center the first row on the thread, andmake the second half of the bracelet amirror image of the first.

String eight seed beads on eitherneedle. Slide the button over the beads.Run the needle through the end row toclose the loop (photo e). Strengthen byrunning the thread through the loopand end row several times (figure 3).Tie the tails together and dab the knotwith glue. Pull the ends through thenearest bead then cut the tails.

making the earringsString a Czech bead, a spacer, an

8 x 5mm cylinder, a spacer, a 14 x 4mmcylinder, a spacer, and a Czech beadonto a head pin. Make a wrapped loop

(see “Basics,” p. 166). Make two shorterdangles using an agate, a spacer, a 14 x 4mm cylinder, a spacer, and anagate (photo f).

Connect the earring sections(photo g). Open a 9mm jump ring (see “Basics”). Slide on the three dangleswith the longest one in the middle. Adda 7mm ring and close the 9mm ring (see “Basics”). Open a 4mm ring, slideon the 7mm ring and one of the posts,and close the rings.

Make a second earring to match the first. w

For more information, contact Melody at5854 N. Chalet Dr., Mobile, Ala. 36608 or (251) 342-9076.

materials8-in. (.2m) bracelet• metal focal bead• 4 metal accent beads• 14 14 x 4mm cylindrical gemstone beads,

new jade• 6 8 x 5mm cylindrical gemstone beads,

green turquoise• 40 2 x 4mm gemstone beads, jade • 6 4mm beads, moss agate • 12 4mm Czech pressed-glass 3-sided beads • 28 seed beads, size 80 matte, gold-lined • 335 Japanese seed or cylinder beads• 10 spacers, 5mm• Nymo D beading thread• beeswax• beading needles, #12

• button with shank, 5⁄8 in. (16mm) to 7⁄8 in.(23mm)

• clear glue or nail polishearrings• 6 14 x 4mm cylindrical gemstone beads,

new jade• 2 8 x 5mm cylindrical gemstone beads,

green turquoise• 4 4mm Czech pressed-glass 3-sided beads• 8 4mm gemstone beads, moss agate• 14 5mm spacers• 6 head pins• 2 9mm jump rings• 2 7mm jump rings• 2 4mm jump rings• pair earring postsTools: round- and chainnose pliers, wire cutters

108 beadandbutton.com

f gd

efigure 2 figure 3

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