TUTORIAL: ELASTIC STRETCH BRACELETS

Stretch bracelets are so easy to make it's almost insulting to you guys that I would create such an image-heavy tutorial. Almost.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• elastic / I bought this gold elastic from Michaels-- it's .5mm
• beads
• glue
• TOOLS: scissors

First, you're going to have to snip a length of cord. I usually eyeball it, but you can wrap it around your wrist and leave an ample couple inches extra.

Start stringing! You can knot the end so your beads don't fall off, but I like living on the edge.

 Bracelets are a good way to use up extra bead stock.

Periodically check the length-- I usually just wrap it around my wrist to see how much more I have to string. Make sure you aren't pulling the elastic taut when you're measuring.

When you're ready, double knot the ends. Snip off the excess.

Add a dab of glue to the knot. (I'm using E6000, as always, ventilation is key!)

finished product
hints, tips, notes

• if you don't like the tails of the elastic peeking, you can always dab them with glue and stick them into the holes of the beads beside them
• don't be afraid not to have a set pattern! think bead soup
• also, you can use anything you can string up-- charms, wood, etc
• elastic bracelets don't have to always to be chunky, get a bendy beading needle and you can make delicate seed bead bracelets
• if you're making a lot for the purpose of stacking them together, vary a bit in length
• you can get fancy with your knots
• and your clasps--some people think just knotting looks messy so they'll add clasps
• small metal beads are your friend
• actually, so are large, chunky beads
• all beads are your friend

Here are some other bracelets I made, all with a similar gold and blue scheme.


I like how the gold peeks through the clear beads.

Happy making! I made all these in a half episode of Homeland.