Saturday, December 31, 2016

12 Days of Christmas: Day 12 - Moving Forward Disk Bead Bracelet

It's time to put 2016 to bed and move forward with bigger and brighter things for 2017! This funky asymmetrical bracelet balances out a row of polymer clay disk beads with three strands of chain. I used geometric findings to give the design a modern edge. 

Supplies:
9 12mm polymer clay disk beads
Pewter arrow button
2 3/4" brass flat cable chain
2 3/4" gunmetal or arte metal oval chain
2 3/4" large copper oval chain (with patina)
10mm brass etched jump ring
2 8mm brass jump rings
3 2.5 faceted brass beads
10 11/0 nickel seed beads
21 mm brass hammered ring
35mm brass rectangle bar
4" 19 gauge blackened steel wire (treat wire with steel wool and Renaissance Wax before using) 

Use whatever leftover chain you have on hand for this project - make sure to mix colors, texture and size for variation. 

Bracelet size: 8 1/2" long. (Shorten the chain and use 8 disk beads to adjust the size of your bracelet.)
Directions:
1. With round nose pliers create a simple loop at the end of the steel wire. String on one seed bead, one disk bead, repeat 8 more times. String on one more seed bead. Create a simple loop on the other end of the wire. 
2. Use chain nose pliers to open the end of the loop and string on the hammered loop, close the wire loop. 
3. Attach the ends of the three chains with an 8mm jump ring to the arrow button. 
4. Attach the other end of the chains with the etched jump ring. 
5. Use an 8mm jump ring to attach the etched jump ring to the brass rectangle, string on three faceted brass beads on the jump ring before closing.
6. Attach the other side of the brass rectangle to the end wire with the disk beads. 

Resources: Disk Beads: Humblebeads. Wire: Ace Hardware. Chain, arrow, hammered ring, jump rings and seed beads: Lima Beads. The rectangle piece was purchased many years ago and I can not remember where! Use any geometric piece for the focal: Color Square Findings,

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