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Family Bracelet


I've been making mothers' and grandmothers' bracelets, and when it came to making a special bracelet for my sister who has one child versus my other sister who has four, I thought it might look weird to have just one colored bead. I did some bead-brainstorming and came up with this design for a Family Bracelet. It has my sister's, her husband's, and her son's birthstone colors in it. I also added some clear aurora borealis (AB) square crystal beads and hematite hearts. The crystal beads in this project are Swarovski and AB if available.

You'll need the following tools and supplies:

6 inches of 22 gauge sterling wire
3 clear AB cube crystals
3 hematite heart beads
1 6mm bicone peridot-colored crystal bead
1 6mm bicone emerald-colored crystal bead
1 6mm bicone zircon-colored crystal bead
12 daisy spacer beads
9 - 2 inches sterling head pins
1 sterling toggle
2 - 4mm bicone emerald-colored crystal bead
*7 inches sterling chain
round-nosed pliers
wire cutters
flat or bent-nosed pliers
jeweler's file

*Note about the chain: I used a style of chain called bar and circle. It has one long rectangular link and three small round links for the chain pattern, very similar to a Fiagro design. Many findings suppliers who sell chain by the inch have this or similar designs. I have supplier links available under my A - F and my G - Z lists.

1. First, determine where you are going to have all your dangles on the chain. I decided to put mine in the center link of the three small round links. When you have determined this, use wire cutters to cut the length of chain you need making sure that you have enough links for all your dangles.

2. Now, you can go ahead and attach the toggle clasp. Use about 3 inches of 22 gauge sterling wire, and use the wrapped loop technique to connect one end of the chain to one side of the toggle.

3. Slip on a 4mm emerald-colored bead, and use another wrapped loop to attach the toggle/bead piece to one end of your chain.


4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 above for the other end of the chain and other part of the toggle clasp.

5. Now it's time to add all your dangle pieces. This is the pattern I followed: colored bicone crystal, hematite heart, clear square crystal. Add a daisy spacer bead to one head pin, add a crystal bead, add another spacer bead, and use the wrapped loop technique to connect each dangle to your chain.



6. When complete, you should have a total of nine dangles from your chain. Adjust the length of your bracelet (making it shorter or longer) by adding or subtracting chain and dangles as necessary. This finished bracelet measures approximately 7 ½ inches. Your clasp sections will add length to your bracelet, so it's a good idea to take this into consideration when you are designing.

All graphics created by Tammy Powley.

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