How To Make Lampwork Lentil Bracelet

hog lampwork lentil bracelet
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Hi there. In this video, I’m going to show you how to make this bracelet using lampwork beads and crystals and filigrees from House of Gems.

To make this bracelet, today I am using these three 20 mm lampwork lentil beads from House of Gems. I’m also using these 8 mm brass filigree beads, and these 4 X 5 mm crystals. To finish your bracelet, you’ll need two wire protectors, two crimp covers, two crimps and a clasp, and of course, some bead stringing wire. Since the lampwork beads are heavy, I’m using a fairly thick bead stringing wire. And then for tools, you’ll just need crimping pliers and wire cutters. Also handy are these little things, bead bugs. They’re just springs with handles and you use them to clamp onto your bead stringing wire so that your beads won’t fall off.

So before you do any stringing, it’s a good idea to just take a minute and lay out your beads into a pattern that you like. I’m just alternating the lampwork beads with the gold filigree with a crystal either side of each filigree.

So here’s a tip for you when you’ve chosen your beads for a jewelry piece, but you’re not sure exactly how much space the particular combination that you want will take up. And so here for example, I have strung what I thought was a nice pattern. And then in taking the time to measure it once they’re strung, I’ve seen that I’m about an inch and a quarter short of where I need to be, to make a bracelet that will fit. And so you look at it and a few possibilities come to mind. I could add an extra crystal beside each one. But then you wonder, how much space will that take up? There will be one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight additional crystals.

And so, what you can do, as I’ve done here, I’ve strung eight crystals on and I can see they just about make up that inch and a quarter that I need. If they were too much, then I might consider finding some small gold beads to go on the ends here. String them on, measure them, until I get pretty close to the measurement I need. So this will have to be restrung with the new pattern, with the additional crystals.

So, I’ve finished my stringing, and now it’s just the length I need it to be, and all we have to do is finish up the ends. And we do that by sliding a crimp onto the wire, and then a wire protector in one end and out the other. And then slide on one piece of your clasp right into the wire protector, and slide the wire back through the crimp. Go ahead and gently squeeze the ends of the wire protector together, slide your crimp up to within about a 16th of an inch, a couple mm, of the wire protector, and then use your crimping pliers to squeeze your crimp.

Remember to always test the strength of your connection, because that is what is holding your bracelet together. Use your wire cutters to trim that wire right next to the crimp, and then use your crimp pliers to pick up a crimp cover, put it over that flattened crimp. This just gives it a neat finish. Squeeze it gently, and that way, it just looks like there’s a bead there.

Now we can slide our beads down, and repeat on the other side, adding the other piece of our clasp. And when you get to the other side, first of all, you need to leave a little bit of slack for your crimp cover. And also, remember that the bracelet’s going to curve around the wrist, and it actually needs a little bit of extra room. So don’t pull it up as tight as you possibly can, like I did here just to demonstrate. Of course you don’t want it that loose, but a little bit. You can actually curve it and then you’ll see how much is taken up, and then leave a little space for that crimp cover, and then go ahead and crimp your bead. And that way, you’ll have a nice bracelet that drapes gracefully. Again, test your connection, and then repeat adding the crimp cover, and your bracelet is done.

And here it is, all complete. A really pretty bracelet with just a nice combination of colors and beads.