Leather Wrap Arounds

The latest of my wrap arounds...this one created with the duo hole beads by Preciosa Ornela. A beautiful glass with an iris coating. A five wrap, I think was made at 26" or is that a four wrap??? Well, maybe it was 32" for a five wrap...I think I've made up a formula that works for determining the amount needed for a specific wrist measurement.

Take actual wrist measurement for wrap #1, for each consecutive wrap add 1/4" more for ease. Then finish with three knots, forming two buttonholes for adjustment.

For example, a four wrap for me would be; 6.5" + 6.75" + 7" +7.25 = 27.5"

This way you could make one for a friend and know it would fit properly!

This front side view of a wrap being sent out this week to a very special gal...The multi colored 4mm stones are River Rock Agate which blend beautifully with the smooth cornered Thai silver beads we have at Monica's Quilt and Beads Creations! The leather a gorgeous tan natural color in a 1.5mm round leather.

Here is a full back view of the bracelet, I started adding Silver beads every third or fifth set of beads. added some light to the piece. The cute Lizard button was a gift from one of my Bead Chick friends!

Chained Melody

Purple 1.5mm leather in Satin Hamilton Finish Sliver Rolo style Chain with a three loop clasp.

Pretty in pink 2mm leather in Gunmetal Black Rolo style Chain with three loop slide.

Coral 1.5mm leather in Antique Copper Rolo style Chain with a two snaps and extra beads.

Look at what fun a few feet of chain and leather can lead to! What could be simpler than weaving thru the loops??? This bracelet makes a fun, funky statement in a very modern way. Of course, a few tips always help, such as using your macrame board to steady the chain and knowing which end is next in the weaving process. Keep it steady and straight as she goes and you'll be finished in no time at all...Keep your eye open for an extra wide cuff in an industry ad in your favorite bead magazine, I think they used twelve rows of chain for the cuff...how'd they do that??? I'm off to figure that mystery out...more later when the answer comes!

Beaded Bead & Leather bracelet

What happens when little beads grow up and want to become Beaded Beads? Why they become bracelets and earrings and necklaces, of course! This obsession with little beads just takes over and becomes so much more...those of you who create with seed beads will understand. I'm off on another adventure and creating more beaded beads again, this time showing more ways to use them once completed.

Here is one way to use the simplest of round beaded beads, add them to strips of leather and simply tie in place. One larger bead was made with five round beads in the base instead of four, this one was added last so it could serve as the "button" bead. A doubled over piece of leather was knotted, making a loop, then alternating beads and beaded beads were strung on with knots in between each addition to hold all in place. This would also look great as a centerpiece for a necklace!

This humble little bead is being offered at Monica's Quilt and Bead Creation, in Palm Desert, for our first Bead of the Month project. By the end of January we should have several different ideas on how to use these beads and incorporate them into jewelry and accessory pieces.

Double Decker Wraparound

Okay...so here's the first of many wraps I made along our trip to Utah! Hey, you gotta learn how to use those ten to twelve hours in a car wisely! More on my personal tips for a stable setup in an other post.

This wraparound bracelet was created especially for a dear young lady who is a Master Wig Maker and hair dresser for the Shakspeare Festival in Cedar City. She loves owls and I thought the colors suited her well. The cubes are 5mm Hex glass beads from Miyuki, the leather is brown round 1.5mm and the owl bead is a new item from TierraCast, a findings company usually well represented in most bead shops. This wrap was concieved with a slightly different approach, more of a loom stitch rather than a half hitch around the leather, multiple cords were set up and then the three rows of cubes were stitched all at the same time. It was quickly finished and the gift was nicely appreciated.

As you can probably tell, yes that is the dashboard as my surface for the photo...and as a testament for the smoothness of the ride, I do believe we were traveling at a steady 75mph when I shot the pic!

Aloha for Patti

My friend Patti left for Hawai'i this week and this bracelet is going to follow her there! Made with 4mm semi-precious stones of Ocean Jasper and 1.5mm leather, this wrap around bracelet has Ian organic and natural feeling about it. The button read 10-4 on the face, i think I've had it since the 80's. Ha! Just the thing to wear in Hawai'i.
I know Patti will be having tons of fun playing with her new grandson Ka'iwi...As I was making this bracelet I kept thinking about how happy she must be with her son and his lovely wife and newest addition to the family. Aloha Patti....enjoy the island life, girlfriend!

Rock 'n' Roll leather wraparound

Out in the SoCal desert we are having too much fun with these wraparound bracelets.

Deb, our dear friend and fellow Bead Chick decided to create a wrap using two different sizes of metal Thai Silver beads and a very pretty red/coral leather. Well, I thought it was too good of an idea not to share and have made one with skinny black leather as a birthday gift for a friend. Elegant, yet tough chica looking don't you think? Can't wait to make one of my own!

Tila Film Strip Bracelet

What a wonderful chance to use these marvelous Tila Beads! Work this braclelet as you would a semi precious stone leather wrapped bracelet, just remember to stay in place and catch both holes! On this piece I used both a matte and shiny gray Tila bead, just picked up at random and it created such a translucent effect that I thought it looked like film strips...you know the old 35mm kind before there was digital media! Each color used weighed about 10 grams of tila beads and the leather was 1.5mm thick.

His 'n' Hers wraparound Leathers

Ready to go! A simple strand or two of Campo Frio Mine Turquoise and a few feet of leather turned into a pair of nice cuffs for a special couple. Have had fun making these, except for the start which requires a lot of patience to handle loads of thread...gentle pulling , no breeze and no kitties or doggies scampering around! You could just keep on going until you ran out of beads.

Leather Wraparound

This is becoming so very popular in the beading circles. I have to give kudos to my fellow FIDM alumni grad Chin Luu for her design! She started it all about 5 years ago...and thus the full life cycle of a designer element; from Runway to publicity (in Oprah Magazine as one of her favorite things) to popularity (copied by others) to the DIY crowd (that's us the beaders of the world!)

Here's my version and looks so very nice in Howlite and Black leather... think I will make one for my daughter -in-law and a larger one for my son.