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CHAPTER 1

Elastic Cord Bracelets

Using Elastic Cord

Some may think that using elastic cord to make jewelry pieces is too simplistic, but with beautiful beads, quality components, a few technical tricks, and inspiration, anyone can achieve spectacular results, and all with minimal effort and time!

Basic technique for using elastic cord

Tie a slipknot at one end of elastic cord to keep beads from falling off before you’re ready to tie off. Thread your beads in the desired order. Tie ends together in a surgeon’s knot. If the hole in a bead on either side of the knot is large enough, thread one tail of surgeon’s knot back through that bead and pull gently until knot pops into bead.

Hints & tips

• Elastic cord comes in several different thicknesses Generally, the thicker it is, the stronger it is. Choose the one that works best for the beads you’re using and for the sort of wear the bracelet will be exposed to.

• If you find that the cord is a tight fit with the bead holes, try cutting the end of cord at an angle.

• If the cord is the right thickness but won’t pass through the bead, try using a bead reamer to clear away any blockages inside the bead (but be careful not to break it).

• When pulling to tighten the knot, don’t just pull on the two tails of cord. Pull also on the inner strands.

• Use clear nail polish/varnish to seal and secure the knot.

Tying a slipknot

1 Form a loop.

2 Reach through the loop and take the short end by the middle, pulling it through in a loop.

3 Gently tug the loop until the knot tightens. You don’t need this knot to be too tight. To undo, gently pull the tail.

Tying a surgeon’s knot

This is the best knot when tying off stretchy cord.

1 Cross left end of cord over right end of cord, bring around once, then twice and pull.

2 Cross right end of cord over left end of cord and pull tight until knot catches.

3 Glue knot to seal and secure.

Marbled Splendor

These beads seem to combine the look of turquoise and aged brass, which can be seen in many lovely styles from Nepal and Tibet.

You will need…

5 28x18mm acrylic barrel beads with turquoise marbled finish

5 10mm matte black onyx rondelle beads

10 6mm antiqued gold-color metal rondelle spacer beads

12 inches (30 cm).8mm clear elastic cord

All you do is…

Tie a slipknot on one end of the cord.

1 Tie a slipknot on one end of the cord.

2 Thread beads in the following pattern and repeat 5 times:

1 6mm gold metal rondelle bead

1 10mm black onyx bead

1 6mm gold metal rondelle bead

1 marbled barrel bead

3 Pull out slipknot, tie a surgeon’s knot, and glue. Thread one tail of cord back through marbled barrel bead and pull until knot pops into bead. Trim excess cord.

Cinnabar Magic

For centuries the Chinese mixed the mineral cinnabar with lacquer in the making of all sorts of decorative and practical objects. Cinnabar is toxic and no longer in use, but the look is simulated though the use of polymers and resins, so we can still enjoy these prettily carved beads and pendants.

You will need…

7 17mm carved flat round red cinnabar beads

18 inches (45 cm) black curb chain (10x6mm links —approx. 15 links/10 cm)

12 inches (30 cm).8mm black elastic cord

All you do is…

1 Form a slipknot at one end of the cord.

2 Cut black chain into 7 lengths of 10 links.

3 Thread on 1 flat red bead. Thread on 10 links of black chain by weaving the cord in through one link and out the other.

4 Repeat step 3 until all chain and beads are used.

5 Pull out slipknot, tie a surgeon’s knot, and glue. When dry, trim excess cord.

Turquoise Cuff

Turquoise comes in many hues, from the bright sky blue we usually associate with this stone to greenish, even yellowish, tones. It’s a favorite in the jewelry of China, Tibet, India and other parts of the East.

You will need…

17 5x30mm turquoise 2-hole slider beads

34 5x4mm antiqued silver metal beads

24 inches (61 cm).8mm clear elastic cord

All you do is…

1 Cut the cord into 2 12-inch (30.5 cm) pieces. Tie a slipknot at one end of each.

2 Thread one cord through the top hole of a turquoise slider then through a silver metal bead. Continue threading through the top hole of turquoise beads with a silver bead between each.

3 Pull out slipknot, tie a surgeon’s knot, and glue.

4 Thread one tail of cord back through the silver metal bead and pull until knot pops into bead. Trim excess cord.

5 Repeat steps 2 through 3 for the bottom holes of the turquoise sliders (see diagram below).

Classy Ceramic

The large beads are what give this bracelet its Asian flavor— a bit of calligraphy, complete with a bright red stamp.

You will need…

6 12mm round hand painted ceramic beads with holes should be large enough to accommodate 5.8mm strands

60 6/0 opaque white seed beads

360 11/0 opaque black seed beads

70 inches (about 1.8 m).8mm black elastic cord strand

All you do is…

1 Cut the cord into 5 14-inch (36 cm) pieces. Tie a slipknot at one end of each.

2 On one piece of cord, thread beads in the following pattern and repeat 6 times.

1 white seed bead

10 black seed beads

1 white seed bead

1 hand painted ceramic bead

3 Pull out slipknot; tie a surgeon’s knot and glue.

4 Pass your next cord through a ceramic bead. Thread your seed beads in the same pattern as step 2, then pass your cord through the next ceramic bead, as shown.

5 Continue this pattern until you reach your starting ceramic bead. Pull out slipknot; tie a surgeon’s knot and glue.

6 Repeat with remaining 3 strands of cord, resulting in 5 strands of seed beads between each ceramic bead.

7 Be sure all knots have been glued, thread one tail of each strand of cord back through the ceramic bead and pull until knot pops into bead. Trim excess cord.

Exquisite Pearls

Pearls have been a mainstay of Asian jewelry for thousands of years. They come in many sizes and shapes, and in shades from purest white to pale pink to rainbow-hued. They add a little elegance to every project. It’s hard to go wrong with them.

You will need…

12 8mm deep pink glass pearl beads

36 8mm pale pink glass pearl beads

36 8mm cream glass pearl beads

6 10x6mm clear faceted glass rondelle beads

12 10x6mm silver faceted glass rondelle beads

3 12x10mm clear faceted glass rondelle beads

3 10mm clear faceted bicone beads

108 11/0 silver seed beads

108 silver-colored head pins

14 inches (36 cm).8mm clear elastic cord

All you do is…

1 Make a slipknot on one end of your cord and set aside.

2 Onto each head pin thread a silver seed bead (not pictured in diagram) followed by a pearl or rondelle or bicone bead.

3 Use flat nose pliers to bend the wire at a right angle, keeping the bend as close the bead as you can.

4 Using round nose pliers, start at one end and roll the wire around one barrel of the pliers, forming a coil until it stops at the bead.

5 When all bead units have been completed thread them onto the elastic cord (with a slipknot at one end) in the following order:

a. 1 pale pink pearl

b. 1 cream pearl

c. 1 pale pink pearl

d. 1 small clear rondelle

e. 1 cream pearl

f. 1 pale pink pearl

g. 1 cream pearl

h. 1 silver rondelle

i. 1 deep pink pearl

j. 1 pale pink pearl

k. 1 cream pearl

l. 1 pale pink pearl

m. 1 large clear rondelle

n. 1 cream pearl

o. 1 pale pink pearl

p. 1 cream pearl

q. 1 silver rondelle

r. 1 deep pink pearl

6 Repeat step 5, but substitute the large clear rondelle bead (m) with the faceted bicone.

7 Repeat steps 5 and 6 two more times, arranging the beads so the fullness is distributed.

HINT

See Chapter 5 to learn the simple, single-loop method of making dangles.

8 Pull out slipknot; tie a surgeon’s knot and glue. When dry, trim excess cord.

Jade & Onyx Watch Band

Nothing says Asian style more clearly than jade. Confucius attributed to jade such virtues as purity, justice and intelligence. Here, this timeless stone transforms a timepiece into an elegant bracelet.

You will need...

10 12mm round jade beads

6 15x20mm antiqued silver-plated beads

12 10mm matte black onyx rondelle beads

20 antiqued silver-plated decorative bead caps

4 3mm round silver-plated beads

4 15mm lobster clasps 24 inches (61 cm)

1mm clear elastic cord 1 watch face with watchband bars – 35x40mm

All you do is…

1 Make a slipknot at one end of your cord.

2 Thread on in the following order:

a. 1 black onyx bead

b. 1 large silver bead

c. 1 black onyx bead

d. 1 silver bead cap

e. 1 jade bead

f. 1 silver bead cap

3 Repeat twice more.

4 Continue by threading on in the following order:

a. 1 small silver bead

b. 1 lobster clasp

c. 1 silver bead cap

d. 1 jade bead

e. 1 silver bead cap

f. 1 lobster clasp (facing the same way as the previous lobster clasp)

g. 1 small silver bead

h. 1 silver bead cap

i. 1 jade bead

j. 1 silver bead cap

5 Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4.

6 Pull out slipknot and remove the first black onyx bead from step 2 and thread it onto the end of beads from step 5 (you are just transferring it from the beginning of the strand to the end of the strand).

7 Tie a surgeon’s knot and glue. Thread one tail of cord back through the large silver metal bead and pull until knot pops into bead. Trim excess cord.

8 Attach beaded band to watch band bar using the lobster clasps. (Since the watch is removable, try making a few different bands for it!)