Shine Online March 2018 | Page 25

To make each of your bracelets, follow the instructions below to wrap your choice of beads onto your cords and finish with your chosen button and charms.

Cut 120cm length of leather and thread button to the middle, secure both ends to a bead board, I use crocodile clips with a small piece of felt to protect my work.

Cut a 50cm piece of S-Lon cord and place the middle section under the leather approx. 1cm from the button, create 7 full macramé square knots. Leave the s-lon after the last knot to finish at the end.

I find it easier to lay out the beads before I start. The order of beads for your leaf charm wrap bracelet is black diamond, green gold, black diamond, blue spike, black diamond, green gold, black diamond, chrome spike, repeat until all 12 spikes have been used, then one more tila set. This makes a bracelet 13.5 inch to 15.5 inch with three fasteners. For your simple wrap bracelet with rondelle beads, simply add the same rondelle beads along the design.

With the leather still fastened to the board and the button on the right, cut a double arm span of thread and add a needle, then tie on to the leather nearest you with a double knot, near the end of the macramé. Take the needle under both pieces of leather, thread a tila bead on and sit it between the leather then bring the needle over the top leather and back towards you through the tile hole, go back through the same hole again by going round and under the front leather, through the hole, over the back leather and back to you.

Now go under the front leather and through the second hole of the tila bead then under the back leather, over the leather and back through the tila bead, repeat this again. After the second pass add another tila bead and repeat.

Go through each hole front to back twice for strength. The Spike only has one hole but still go through it twice before adding the next tila.

When all the beads have been sewn on go back through the last hole one more time and create a couple of half hitch knots between the leather and the bead.

Repeat the instructions creating another 7 full square knots.

Tie an overhand knot in the leather near the end of the macramé then another overhand knot approximately 1 inch away, making sure the button will fit through the hole, then another overhand knot a further inch away.

Tidy up the bracelet by making sure the macramé ends are pulled tight then cutting them off or using a thread zapper, you can add a tiny dab of fevi kwik or clear nail varnish on the ends if you want to be sure it is secure. Do the same for the KO thread.

I like to finish my wrap bracelets with a charm and a couple of simple wrapped loop beads or crystals attached to the bracelet on a jump ring between the first knot and the macramé.

25