Little Girl Tennis Bracelet: Crossweave Lesson

Full Disclosure: Many of the beads you see below are from Artbeads.com.  Some of the items I had on hand but all the pretty stuff is from them. To be clear; they gave me the beads so I would create and then write. Nothing really very sinister but I need to tell you this all upfront so none of us gets into trouble.

Ok, so it’s not diamonds and not really done like a tennis bracelet but it looks super glittery and my 4 year old daughter loves it (and I won’t have to be restrained and treated with sedatives if she loses it).  I just got a slew of beads from Artbeads.com.  I used a crossweave technique to make this bracelet for my daughter.  The beads are stunning.  They are Czech Fire Polished Beads in Crystal with an AB finish (4mm size).  The 50 size pack made a perfect bracelet for a 4 year old (5 inch) so if you want it to be for an adult you’ll need to do 2 packs.  The best thing about the Czech beads is that while they are gorgeous, they are not as pricey as the Swarovski Crystals. 

I used clear thread called Supplemax.  It’s a lot like fishing line.  Super strong and clear.  In addition, I used pink size 11 seed beads.

 

Want to Make This Yourself?

I promise you, this isn’t that difficult. Most of the jewelry that I make I have learned from reading books and magazines.  I use my local library as a resource and if I really like a magazine, I order my own copy.  I’ll list some below.  I’m going to show you how to make the bracelet with very large beads to simplify the demonstration process.  It’s a simple technique of using one long thread and crossing it back and forth.  Just replace the beads I’m using below with 4mm fire polished beads and 11/0 seed beads.

1.  You take a very long piece of supplemax (or string) and bend it in half. Add about 10 seed beads to the strand and cross over the strands.  Take the right strand and feed it through the top seed bead.  This is your clasp.

2.  At this point you will begin the bracelet. On each of the strands you will add in this order, one fire polished bead, one seed bead, and one fire polished bead.  On the right side, add one more seed bead. (The side you choose doesn’t really matter.  It’s just for the purposes of this demonstration).

3.  After you add the extra seed bead you will cross the strands and feed the left through the right bead.  It’s the same thing you did in step one.

4. So, just like the shampoo bottle, repeat.  You keep doing this until you get close to the ideal length for your bracelet. Remember that a clasp will add about 1/2 to 1 full inch.

For fun I added little picots with seed beads.  You don’t have to do this step, I’m just a details person and I think that “more is more.” 

5. I wove back through the crystals until you get to a seed bead between fire polished beads.  String 3 seed beads, make a loop, and go back through the same seed bead.

 

Weave through to the end of the bracelet and back down the other side.

So thanks to my friends at Artbeads for the great products.  You can make this bracelet too for just a few dollars in beads.

Nice Beading Magazine:

Using Square Stitch to Whip Up Some Quick, Yet Gorgeous, Swarovski Earrings

Full Disclosure: Many of the beads you see below are from Artbeads.com.  Some of the items I had on hand but all the pretty stuff is from them. To be clear; they gave me the beads so I would create and then write. Nothing really very sinister but I need to tell you this all upfront so none of us gets into trouble.

Whenever I walk through a bead store or bead catalog I am instantly drawn to the shiny and sparkly stuff. I saw a pattern using square stitch and Swarovski pendants to make earrings in an OLD issue of Bead & Button. 

If you’re friendly with the local librarian you can get old copies of magazines given to you before they chuck them.  After a while, libraries have to discard magazines that are old because of space.  Jewelry magazines are like cooking magazines and you can always reference them. 

What I like about these earrings is how quick it is to whip them up and once done are stunning!  Here’s what you need, 14mm Swarovski square crystal components (these can be pricey but you only need 2), Japanese cylinder beads (they look like tiny cubes.  You need this over regular seed beads so they lay properly), a pair of 6mm jump rings (soldered closed preferred), and some earring findings.  I stitch it using Wildfire thread (my favorite) and a beading needle is a must (unless you like to curse, then do it by hand).  I used the black thread because my beads were dark and I don’t like to see the string.

This looks more complicated than it is really.  The genius is in the simplicity of the pattern.  Complete instructions for these earrings are here.  (As a bonus, you can take that pattern and string a series of those components together to make a bracelet) I’ve made two pair of these earrings, one bronze with gold and one silvery blue with silver.  Thanks to Artbeads.com for providing me with so many pretty materials!