Three Strand Breast Cancer Awareness Bracelet
I love the bright pink beads used in this bracelet. It's lightweight on the wrist and has a contemporary look that's really different. A little tricky to make sure all three strands of seed beads are the same length, but I have a trick in case they aren't!
Level: Intermediate
Materials
11.0 pink glass seed beads
5mm Bali Daisy spacers (4)
6mm Sterling Silver round beads (2)
6-8 mm Bali beads with large holes (2)
Sterling Silver Awareness Ribbon charm
4mm oval jump ring
Clasp
2x2 sterling silver crimp tubes (2)
Fine (.014) beading wire
I string all three strands separately, and each one starts out on my spool of beading wire so that I don't have seed beads flying all over my studio. If you prefer to cut your wire first, cut approximately 10 inches of wire and secure one end using tape or a binder clip.
Start by stringing one round bead on the wire. Next, string 2 inches of seed beads on the wire. String a daisy spacer, a Bali bead and another daisy spacer. The spacers will keep the seed beads from going inside the Bali bead and will create a nicer finish for the sections of the bracelet that bring the three strands together.
String another 2 inch section of seed beads, and repeat the daisy spacer, Bali bead and second daisy spacer. Finish with another 2 inches of seed beads and the last round bead.
Cut the wire from the spool, leaving a 3 inch tail at each end. Secure the ends, using tape or a binder clip.
Second strand: Pull the wire through the first round bead. Next, string 2 inches of seed beads on the wire and compare to the first strand. Strands should be the same length; if not add or take off beads. String the wire through the first daisy spacer, the Bali bead and the second daisy spacer. Continue with another 2 inch section of seed beads and compare to the first strand again. Repeat stringing the wire through the next daisy spacer, the Bali bead and the final daisy spacer. Finish with another 2 inches of seed beads (compare to the first strand) and then string the wire through the last round bead.
Cut the wire from the spool, leaving a 3 inch tail at each end. Secure all four ends, using tape or a binder clip.
For the third strand, repeat all steps that you followed for the second strand.
You will now have a three strand bracelet, with all three strands going through the round beads, daisy spacers and Bali beads. Hold the bracelet flat, and be sure all seed beads are flush against the spacers.
If any of the strands are longer than the others, remove beads so they are the same length. If you need to remove any beads from the strands on the ends, this is pretty easy — just take off the round bead and remove the beads from the strands you need to.
If your center strands are not even however, you can pull all the seed beads off and restring, but this takes an incredible amount of time. Plus, you may still not have even amounts of seed beads and you might have to do more rework! The "easy" way to remove beads from the center section is to break them. Using a chain nosed pliers, carefully break one or two beads from the section that is too long. Be sure you are wearing protective eye gear, and that you are breaking the beads into something that will catch the glass shards. I held my bracelet in a trash can and broke the beads directly into the can. Use a firm but gentle squeeze on the pliers to break the beads — you don't want to damage the underlying beading wire!
When your strands are all the desired length, you are ready to finish the ends. Secure one end of the bracelet using tape or a binder clip. Use a crimp tube to secure all three ends to a clasp, running all three lengths back through the crimp tube and the round bead. Crimp the tube, test for security, and clip excess wire. Repeat on the other end after removing the tape or binder clip.
Add a ribbon awareness charm to the ring end of the clasp using the oval jump ring. I like the oval shaped jump rings for attaching charms because they will not slip off easily, but will break open if the charm gets caught on something, saving your wrist!
