Paper Bead Bracelet

ShirleyE
Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 239 Posts

Paper Bead Bracelet This simple bracelet is made from colourful pages taken out of glossy magazines. It is easy to make and needs only a few materials. You could also add glitter, ribbons, or sticky jewels at the end to bling it up a bit if you like.

Supplies:

colourful glossy paper
PVA glue
1 knitting needle
scissors
1 ruler to measure
pen or pencil
string or cord
1 fastener

Steps:

Choose your paper. It is best to choose pages from the same magazine so that your strips of paper are the same thickness and length.

Decide what length you want each bead to be and measure and mark accordingly. I made mine 1cm each.

Do the same along the opposite edge and use your ruler to join them up. Then cut along the lines to form strips of paper.

Remember when choosing your page, that only one end of the strip will show so it doesn't matter what is on the rest of the paper.

Apply glue to the wrong side of one end.

Stick this to your knitting needle and wind it up. I would recommend a thickness of between 2mm - 4mm. I used 4mm.

Stick down the other end with more glue.

Slide the bead off the needle and leave to dry.

If the bead unwinds a bit when you slide it off, just gently press it back in.

Use a piece of cord or string to measure your wrist and use this to work out how many beads you need.

Arrange your beads in order.

Now you will need to cut a piece of string or cord to use for assembling your bracelet. You could just guess, but this could cause frustration if you get to the end and there is not quite enough. To calculate how much you will need, double the measurement of your wrist (A). Then double the length of a bead and multiply this by the number of beads you are using (B). Add A+B then add another 12 inches or so.
Now take your length of cord and double it up. Tie a knot near the end to form a loop. Thread your first bead onto one end.

Thread the other end through the same bead in the opposite direction.

Repeat this with every bead.

When you have used up al your beads, tie a double knot at the end.

Tie your fastener on tightly and snip the ends close.

Use a little PVA glue to ensure the knot doesn't work loose.

Fasten together using the loop at the other end.

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cj wagz

January 10, 20162 found this helpful

Thanks Shirley! Very nice, clear tutorial. I didn't have any fasteners but I found that two magazine pages worth (1cm strips) was more than enough to make a bracelet big enough to slip on. Also, I used the plastic handle of a paintbrush to wind up the beads.

ShirleyE
Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 239 Posts

January 11, 20160 found this helpful

Oh my goodness - that is brilliant. It's what recycling craft is all about, seeing what you can do with what you've got. You could also use elastic thread if you haven't got a fastener

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