how i make collection bracelets (with pictures!)

okay, first off you need a bunch of random beads. i have a lot of those 'bead mixes' that have been picked through. it helps. if you have 6-20 of a set of bead that you like, but unsure what to do with them it is a good base for a collection bracelet as well. i like to have one or two sets of 4-7ish of the same kind/color/texture of bead; it really helps to bring together the overall bracelet when very little else matches.

today's bracelet i decided on reds and wood. i emptied my small container of red beads onto a plate and picked out the big ones that i like. placed them around my beading tray for the length of memory wire i am using. (24-26" for a 4 coil, give or take)

excuse my well loved beading tray, it is probably permanently stained with coffee from the years.

i found out later that a few of these beads were duds, you roll with what you end up with. it is really quite zen if you allow it.

my next step i added in some strange brownish colored beads to space out some of the gaps between the larger beads. i also gathered up two sets of chip stone beads that i thought would look nice in this red theme. the wooden beads are mostly gathered as well. if i was more organized (or had a plan ahead) i would get the beads i want ahead of time.

i dont recommend using a yellow plate for your red and brown beads, btw.

at this point i try to see of one side is being favored (the left slightly) and the color, tone, or texture span. usually mine have a gradient of one of those to a degree from one end to the other. this step i added in my large wood beads as well as the ceramic beads that i thought would be nice and chunky

i place the chip bead sections; not usually more than 5-7 of them per section, but sometimes 4 or 5 sections of them. try to make sure the spacing wont completely stack the sections of the chip beads on top of each other. when stringing them you can always move a section of the beads to offset them.

adding in the wooden patterned beads. i space them out, but try to watch where the colors are clumped up. this is where the breaking up of clusters of too-similar beads really begins. 

the final fill-in! i chose several purpley colored beads as well as the random tiny crystals. i like to have variation in size and texture. i also like to frame the mini collections of chip beads, stacked flat beads, and the largest beads with similar beads on each side. it is a similar technique to some of the old viking jewelry patterns, and it gives the cohesion to the rather random and sometimes mismatched bracelet. 

string it up, and add whatever extra that you would like. ribbon, fabric scraps, wrapped wire. dont forget to add dangles to the ends of the coils, or affix proper coil caps on the ends.

tips! 

dont be afraid to mix up beads you normally wouldnt

be careful with the thin glass beads on memory wire, they are prone to breakage if they are too long!

texture and size variation really makes these work. 

if you find threes a wrong bead, dont force it; on the other hand you can always find it a friend or two.
edit: wait until it is strung to decide if it works or not. the layers change how it looks from the tray, sometimes drastically.

any questions or comments please do ask. 

long drop necklace

 today ive finished an asymmetrical necklace in lava beads, aventurine, and steel (with a few black glass beads, and coconut shell beads as accents around the back)

the design began with the front section of the beautiful aqua beads, i then added a drop section of lava bead and a reclaimed bead from an asian bracelet that had corroded through its clasp (that was a core to the bracelet).

i do suggest that if you do wrapped loops in steel that you dont use your good round nose pliers! and have another pair of smooth but not dear to you flat ones for finishing the wire coils.

i think that this one really turned out nicely, and quite delicate despite the ruggedness of the materials!

femme romantic pink collection wrap bracelet

beautiful finished collection bracelet in the sunshine

 so, usually i ignore the pink end of things. i like unisex or grungy far more and its a bit of a strange thing for a guy to make such girly things. or thats my mindset when i find myself looking at pink beads that just arent right for what i want to do. oh and these are SO shiny and really quite saturated pinks.

this first round of the bead sorting and stringing went well enough. i like the colors together in the amounts that they are. but it was too hello kitty for me. i decided to add in brass accent beads randomly. they are antiqued so they help to offset the pure shine of the pearls. sorry guys didnt get a photo before the additions after.

 a few angles and different backgrounds to show how much of a feeling change what the bracelet is with causes.

after i added the brass beads it was still a little too plain, so i went and looked through my grandmothers cloth stash, it was quite extensive! and i chose a few fabrics to add on as bows to add texture and further make the whole bracelet match itself better. i think that the cloth strips really make the bracelet.

this bracelet is currently available, get in touch with me on one of my sites or here if youd like to give it a home.

supplies:
memory wire
pink marbled some kind of plastic/resin vintage necklace beads
tan/offwhite of the same sort of beads
almost white resin pearls
offwhite glass pearls
antiqued brass plated aluminum beads
glass beads
shell beads
scraps of cloth
scraps of white lace

trying things (art and design)

 

my newest bracelet has gotten several comments/compliments about my use of lace in the beading.  i wanted to add more texture than i was getting with just the different bead types and sizes, and being resourceful, remembered i had this thin lace, so i knotted it on. it really gives the bracelet more character - dont be afraid to try random things!

art and creativity is all about what you like to put together, and your own sets of  preferred materials and shapes will show through after practice on your own. dont be afraid to learn ways things go together from others, their vision will be different than your own once the project is completed. dont feel pressured to polish up your style if you like the unpolished. figure ways around that to allow for your own style to feel finished, without resorting to standard shine. it isnt an easy task, but it is achievable.

let me walk you through how i made this bracelet:

chose a color or theme
i chose a goth/victorian/slightly steampunk and black, violets, reds, with accents of whiteish

collect your materials. (beads, charms, memory wire or stringing material and clasps) i have a large collection of odd beads charms, and other such things.
go through it and pick uot the beads or objects you definitely want  in the bracelet. fill in the rest with beads that add to the feeling you want with your bracelet.

do a rough layout, or a complete layout on a design board
honestly i usually completely wing it, but i also end up restringing sections several times. it works for me, the rest is up tto you

string it, do the finishing touches
i used basic wire loop ends to keep the beads on, the end loops i attached a jump ring with a cowrie shell, and another with a few jingley beads. i tied on the lace scraps somewhere in the middle of putting this one together. shine up anything that you want, make sure there are no loose and unused loop ends, tie up or attach the ends of your stringing material, making sure it i s secure.  little things like using all loop ends makes things look/feel more finished. i wrapped steel wire around the white glass bead, as it needed some extra, darker texture.

if you make something that you feel really reflects yourself, or your design vision, do share!