WireWork

Krystallos ladder

The word “crystal” comes from the Greek “krystallos,” meaning “ice.” This cuff bracelet, however, is guaranteed to generate some fashion heat. Crystals and pearls create a free-form ladder that will bring you out of the cold and into the heights of style. — Rachel Nelson-Smith

1 Find a round object approximately the desired diameter of your cuff.

Wrap an 18-in. (46cm) piece of 16-gauge wire around the object. Bend the wire down at a right angle with chainnose pliers, leaving a 1¼-in. (3.2cm) opening.

2a Make a right-angle bend about ¾ in. (1.9cm) from the first bend, and

wrap the wire back around the object.

2b Bend the wire up at a right angle, keeping the 1¼-in. (3.2cm) opening.

2c Make a right-angle bend about ¾ in. (1.9cm) from the last bend.

Leaving a ½-in. (1.3cm) overlap of the ends, trim the excess wire.

3 Cut a 3-in. (7.6cm) piece of 24-gauge wire. Tightly wrap the wire around

the overlapping ends of the 16-gauge wire seven or eight times.

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©2006 Kalmbach Publishing Co. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher.

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SupplyList• 90–140 4mm bicone crystals in

two colors• 6–12 8mm or 12mm pearls• 18 in. (46cm) 16-gauge dead-soft wire • 6 in. (15cm) 24-gauge half-hard wire • 5 ft. (1.52m) 26-gauge half-hard

wire• chainnose and roundnose pliers• diagonal wire cutters

4 Tightly wrap 26-gauge wire two or three times

around the bottom 16-gauge wire at one end of the cuff. String three or four crystals in one color. Wrap the 26-gauge wire around the top wire several times and then around the bottom wire.

5 Continue stringing three or four crystals in alternating colors for five columns, then string

one or two pearls. Repeat this pattern to the end of the cuff.

6 Wrap the 26-gauge wire two or three times around the 16-gauge wire, and trim the excess.

Contact Rachel at contact@msrachel.com, or visit msrachel.com.