Springtime Stretchy Coil Bracelet

This particular design comes with a bad taste, I did start to tell you all about it but it turned into one of my rants, so I split the post and if you would like to read my rant on design theft you can find it HERE.

This is a lovely bracelet, it looks like one of those bracelets with lots and lots of rings on, but it's not.  It is also done on elastic so no fiddling with clasps.  It's nice and noisy (I like noisy jewellery) and making it will keep you out of mischief for a little while :)

You will need:

• Approx 100 beads around 4-6mm
• Approx 100 Headpins
• ½ meter 1.mm Stretch Elastic

What you do:

• Take a Head pin and thread on a bead, if the bead hole is too large you can add a little seed bead to the bottom to stop the pin pulling right through.

• Using some round nose pliers, bend the pin directly above the bead. TIP: It might be helpful to make a little mark on your pliers approx 10mm from the nose, this will ensure your coils are more or less the same size each time.

• Holding the pin tightly, wrap the wire around the plier. You are aiming to get these coils side-by-side, so the tighter and closer the better.

• Move the coil slightly down the pliers so that the next wrap will be the same size as the previous one and again wrap the pin around the pliers.

• Remove the coil from the pliers, and with a wire cutter trim off the excess wire as close as possible. Tuck in any sharp ends with flat nose pliers.

• Make 100 of these pins in total. I used a 6x8mm bead and a 4mm bead.

• Take your elastic and double it in half, thread on your beads, coil first each time.

• Pull the elastic slightly and tie in a strong double knot. TIP: Dab a spot of glue or clear nail-polish on the knot to seal it

© Sue Simmons / The Bead Shed

 2008