Star Bracelet
This star bracelet looks a lot more difficult to make than it is. It's just a series of simple stars made separately and then joined together.
SUPPLIES:
Size 11.0 seeds
Size 8.0 seeds
Size 5.0 triangle beads (optional for centers of stars)
Thread (I used 8lb Fireline)
Size 12 Needle
Clasp of your choice, or make a beaded ball and loop clasp.
Pick up 6 size 8 beads and tie in a circle leaving about a 6 inch tail to attach your clasp. (I clipped this thread and added more later to attach my clasp)
Put your center bead in. (I used the 5.0 triangle bead, but you can use whatever bead you like that fits.)
Pick up a size 11 bead and go through the next sz 8 bead. Repeat around the circle until you have 6 sz 11 beads.
Pick up 3 sz 11 beads, and go through the next size 11 from the previous round. (I used a different color for the 'point' bead in this round.) Repeat around.
When you get back to the beginning, go up through the first 2 beads you added on this round.
Set this star aside for now. (Don't weave in the thread.....we'll use this for connecting the next star.)
This picture shows the thread path.
Now make another star, and we'll connect it to the first one.
With your thread coming out of a point bead on your first star, pick up a seed, triangle, seed, and go up through the next point bead on your star. (Point beads marked with dots)
Pick up 2 seeds and go down through the point bead in your second star.
Now pick up 1 seed and go down through your triangle bead. (This seed is marked with the number 1 in the picture.) The dot shows where the next bead will go, and the number 3 is where the next bead will connect.
Now add the bead that was shown in the previous picture. (Marked here with number 1) Go through the point bead marked with a 2.
Now add the last two seeds, (marked with dots) and go up through the point bead shown in picture.
This is the bead that your thread was coming out of at the beginning of this joining segment.
Weave your thread around the star and clip.
This picture shows the last 2 beads added.
Now continue to make stars and join them! Make enough for a bracelet, or if you're really ambitious, make a choker!
When you're done, attach your clasp, and enjoy. :)
If you run into any problems, or have any questions, please email me!
If you make a bracelet or necklace that you'd like to share, send me the picture, with information on what beads you used, etc. and I'll put it here for other people to draw inspiration from!
After I posted this tutorial, I got an email from the fablulous bead artist/designer Sandra Halpenny. She said that since she doesn't like to add new thread, or start new threads, that she devised a way to make the bracelet with a continuous thread! So here are the pictures she sent me.
Thanks so much Sandra!!
UPDATE! In Dec. 07, Andrea, from Original Sin Design started a challenge on the Bead & Button forum using this bracelet as the project. Check out all the wonderful and creative entries here!
