PROJECT 05: UNISEX BRACELET

REDESIGNED MULTI-STRAND BRACELET PT.1

My commissioned works these days are mostly of redesigning accessories. The challenge with redesigning is when the pieces are in such terrible state that it’s hard to envision a design for it. 

But there are pieces where, with just one look you know what you want to do with it, regardless of its condition. When I see one of those, I start right away because I’m just too excited to see whether the design I have in mind would translate to what I actually make. Personally, what I like doing is creating more than one piece from each item if the materials allow. I mix and match the old materials with the new to update the look of the pieces.

Today I’ll be showing you how I deconstructed and created pieces from this multi-strand bracelet that my sister discarded. The first design is a unisex one strand bracelet. For this I’ll be using the round coffee colored plastic beads.

MATERIALS & TOOLS

Deconstructed Multi-Strand Bracelet

.02 Nylon Thread       Jump Ring or Cable Chain       Split Rings       Metal Beads in Different Sizes

Lobster Lock       Curb Chain       Pendant       Pliers

*I used cable chain since I don’t have the right size & gauge of jump ring in brass

STEP 1

I always start with 1 yard of .02 nylon thread. I take one split ring, insert the thread, meet both ends of the thread so the split ring falls in the middle. Tie a knot to secure. Thread in the smallest size metal bead followed by a round bead. 

STEP 2

Continue until you have about 2.5”. Exclude the split ring from measurement. For the last metal bead, use the medium size bead. 

STEP 3

Take the pendant and insert thread in one of the holes then go back and thread in the beads again. You may opt to knot at this point, but I like going through my string of beads a couple of times. 

TIPS & TRICKS

Always make sure you have a bit of an allowance to your thread so the beads will have room to move. To test just how big a space you need, when you're done with step 3, set down the bracelet and bend the strand to the shape of the wrist. Straighten it again and adjust the beads to see how much space it took & make that your reference when you accidentally compress them.

STEP 4

After you’re done on one side, repeat steps on the other. 

STEP 5

Take a jump ring and connect one end of the strand to the lobster lock. But in this case I took 1 ring from a cable chain because I wanted something small and thick, and I didn’t have that in brass.

Lastly, take about 3-4 rings from the curb chain and connect that to the other side of the strand.

And you’re done! Check out the video: