Silver Cuff

You guys know of my deep and abiding love for the cuff bracelet. The perfect accessory for this girl’s gorilla arms. So earlier this year I was going through my craft supplies and came upon a big jar of bugle beads leftover from the beaded Christmas tree skirt, and thought they might make an interesting bracelet.

I’m also talked before about how much I love bead weaving, but how much I dislike so many of the projects I see done with it, so I always come back to the cuff bracelet. It’s the perfect collaboration of medium and object to me. The simplicity of the cuff really lets the elegance of a weave shine, and the weave makes this great flexible textile that is perfect for a cuff. It’s the new chocolate and peanut butter – two great things that go great together.

I’ve directed you guys to this site before, and I think their bead weaving tutorials can’t be beat. Certainly better than anything I could try to describe.

After using peyote stitch to bead the cuff, I took the thread back up through two beads and out to make the loop. Bugle beads won’t bend, so you have to use seed beads. Thread enough beads to make a loop big enough for the buttons you plan on using, then go back through the beads on the last row of the cuff. Secure your loop by going through the whole thing a few more times with your thread, then repeat the whole process to make your second loop.

Then just sew on your buttons. The ones with a shank are the ones that you want.

I used these beads because I had them in my stash, but once I was finished I was struck by the serendipity. It looks just like an homage to my childhood hero… Wonder Woman!

Watch as she deflects mommy driveby comments pinging off into the atmosphere! Marvel as she uses her unshowered funk to ward off evildoers! Be surprised when she sheds her secret identity as mild mannered mother into somebody glamorous enough to wear this bracelet!