To make this bracelet, you will need some of these tubes. These are metal tubes with just a slight curve to them, and they’re 21 millimeters long. You will need six for every strand of your bracelet. Making a triple strand bracelet, I have eighteen here. You’ll also need 6 millimeter round Agate beads, a clasp and then a bead for the end.You’ll need wire protectors, two, four crimp covers and four crimps, some bead stringing wire. For tools you’ll need wire cutters, chain nose pliers, and crimping pliers.
You can see how taking a minute to lay out my curved tubes interspersed with 15, 6 millimeter beads. Now these tubes are fun. It’s kind of a fun thing to look and think about the different designs you can make with these fun findings. I’m going to use these little brushed metal beads that I got from House of Gems to consolidate all three of my wires down into one at the ends. You can use bead caps, that’s a common way of doing it, but I like the look of these. I had to take a minute and figure out exactly how I was going to do it.
Put a crimp over all of them. I’ll crimp all three, and then trim one. Cover that with a crimp cover. Then, I’ll send the two remaining ones through my bead, through a crimp, and then I’ll send one of them through the wire protector, and then back through the crimp. Then, I’ll crimp it,that will neatly finish off all three ends without using a bead cap. Start with three pieces of beading wire.
Next, we’ll send all three ends through a crimp and give myself a little bit of room, a couple of inches. Let’s not have them crossed over each other but lying nice and flat next to each other inside the crimp and then use my chain nose pliers to flatten them and give each one a tug and make sure it’s secure. Then, I’m going to use my crimping pliers to pick up the crimp cover, slide it over that crimp, and squeeze. Now it looks like there’s a bead there and this can come off. Next, I’m going to trim one of these wires right here. Actually, I should have trimmed it before I put the crimp cover on, but we’ll get it really nice and close. So, now we’re done to two wires. Next, we’re going to slide that through a bead. I’m going to slide them both through a crimp. Then, just one of them will go through the wire protector.
And, I’m going to add a piece of my clasp here. Then that end that went through the wire protector is going to go back through the crimp. Once again, we have three wires going through that crimp. Again, try to make sure that they’re flat. Leave a little space for your crimp cover and then just squash that, give it tug. It’s not going anywhere. We’ll trim both of those wires. Make sure you trim them nice and close to the crimp that way the ends will be covered hopefully by the cover. I hate little pokey ends of wire when I’m wearing a piece of jewelry, very annoying. Then, once again, crimp cover picked up by crimping pliers and slide over the crimp. Squeeze. Now that is a really nice finish for three strands of wire. And, then now, all you need to do is string on your tubes and your beads.
With these shaped tubes, it really is best to use some bead stringing wire. Something stiff. Especially if you get into the ones that are very curved or the corkscrew shape. Obviously, you can’t get a needle through the corkscrew shape. It’s a good idea to use the bead stringing wire. Something nice and stiff. You just string on each of your strands and then finish the strands just the way we started. I’ve strung all of my beads, and now I thought I would just review the finishing since it is a little unusual. First, slide all three wires through a crimp and then we’re going to pull them up so they’re all even. Then, I’m going to back this off about a quarter of an inch.
Especially with this nice curvy shape, we really want these to be able to move gracefully. I’m going to back it off about a quarter of an inch. Make sure they’re all flat. Flatten, then trim, add a crimp cover, add your bead. Now you’re down to two strands. Those go through a crimp. One goes through the wire protector, add the other piece of your clasp, and then that end coming out of the wire protector goes back through the crimp. Leave a little room for your crimp cover. Flatten, check, trim, and cover with a crimp cover, and you have a bracelet. Here’s another look at the bracelet we made today. I hope that you liked this project and that you’ll give it a try. This bracelet would look lovely with Swarovski crystals. I hope you liked the idea for using a bead to finish off your multiple strands of wire rather than always having to use a bead cap, although that’s a nice option too. Have fun and make yourself a pretty bracelet.
Post time: Jul-14-2017