Extravaganza braceletStitch a colorful base of fire-polished beads, and then strategically adorn it with crystals, magatamas, and seed beads for an exquisite look.

by Cassie Donlen

PROJECTS • Right-angle weave

Difficulty rating

Base1 On a comfortable length of thread, pick up four color A 4 mm fire-polished beads, and sew through the beads again to form a ring, leaving a 6-in. (15 cm) tail. Continue through the first three As (figure 1, a–b). This forms the first stitch.2 Working in right-angle weave (RAW), pick up three As, and sew through the A your thread exited at the start of this step. Continue through the first two As just added (b–c), and tighten. Continue working in RAW for a total of four stitches to form the first row (c–d), and then sew through the top edge bead of the last stitch (d–e) to get into position to start row 2.3 Continue working in RAW using fire-polished beads:Row 2: Pick up an A, a color B 4 mm fire-polished bead, and an A for the first stitch (e–f). Continue working in RAW following the established color pattern to complete the row (f–g).Row 3: Work a row using Bs.

Row 4: Work the first stitch with a B, a color C fire-polished bead, and a B (figure 2, a–b). Continue working in RAW following the established color pattern to complete the row (b–c).Row 5: Work a row using Cs.Row 6: Work the first stitch with a C, two 2 mm fire-polished beads, and a C (figure 3, a–b). Continue working in RAW following the established color pattern to complete the row (b–c), making note that two 2 mm beads are used in place of a 4 mm bead.Row 7: Work a row using 2 mms (figure 4). Each stitch should consist of eight 2 mms 4 Continue working in RAW for the desired bracelet length (less 3⁄8 in./1 cm for the clasp), following the color pattern established in rows 1–7. A 71⁄2 in. (19.1 cm) bracelet (with the clasp), repeats rows 1–7 twice and then repeats rows 1–6 once, but uses all Cs in the last row to keep the bead colors consistent.

MATERIALSbracelet 7½ in. (19.1 cm)• 4 mm fire-polished beads

- 60 color A (orchid aqua polychrome) - 72 color B (copper rose

polychrome) - 76 color C (azurite halo)

• 80 4 mm bicone crystals (Swarovski, jet AB2X)• 7 g 3 mm magatamas (Toho 702, dark copper)• 78 2 mm fire-polished beads (orchid mirror)• 2 g 150 seed beads (Toho 460G, steel blue metallic)• 1 5-strand tube clasp• Fireline, 6 lb. test• beading needles, #11 or #12

TECHNIQUES TO KNOW• basics: ending and adding thread• right-angle weave: flat strip, adding rows

facetjewelry.comFCT-

SC-0

9231

9-03

©2017 Kalmbach Publishing Co. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher.

ab

c de

fg

a

bc

a

bc

a

bcde f

g

h

i

j

k

4 mm fire-polished bead, color A

4 mm fire-polished bead, color B

4 mm fire-polished bead, color C

2 mm fire-polished bead

3 mm magatama bead

150 seed bead

4 mm bicone crystal

a

b

c

d

Embellishment1 With the working thread, sew around the closest thread bridge, and continue back through the 4 mm your thread is exiting (figure 5, a–b).

note If additional rows of RAW were added to the base for extra length, the bead colors in the illustra-tions might be slightly different. Just work as per the instructions, making sure to embellish the additional rows.

2 Pick up a 150 seed bead, a 4 mm bicone crystal, and a 150, cross the RAW stitch diagonally, and sew through the corresponding fire-polished bead, going in the same direction (b–c). Repeat this stitch three times to com-plete the row (c–d).3 Pick up a 3 mm magatama bead, and sew through the adjacent fire-polished bead in the same RAW stitch (d–e). Pick up a magatama, and sew through the next fire-polished bead in the same row. Repeat this last stitch twice (e–f). Pick up a magatama, and sew through the adjacent edge fire-polished bead (f–g).4 Work as in steps 2–3 once (g–h), and then repeat step 3 again (h–i). 5 Work as in steps 2–3 twice, and then repeat step 2 again (i–j).6 Sew through the beadwork as shown to get into position to add the next set of embellishments (j–k). 7 Work as in steps 2–6 for the remainder of the base, ending on step 5 (figure 6, point a). End and add thread as needed.

Clasp1 With the working thread, pick up 10 150 seed beads and the end loop of the clasp, and sew back through the same 4 mm your thread exited at the start of this step (a–b). Continue through the next two adjacent 4 mms in the same RAW stitch (b–c).2 Work as in step 1 to attach the remaining loops on the clasp (c–d). Retrace the thread path to reinforce the connection, and end the working thread and tail.3 On the opposite end of the bracelet, add 12-in. (30 cm) of thread, exiting an end edge fire-polished bead. Work as in steps 1–2 to attach the other half of the clasp, and end the thread. ❍

FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2

FIGURE 3 FIGURE 4

UNDERSIDE

FIGURE 5

Contact Cassie Donlen in care of editor@beadandbutton.com.

FIGURE 6