Pearl & Leather Wrap Bracelet

In my attempt to use up some more from my leather cord stash, I made this pearl and leather wrap bracelet!

With this DIY you can make use of any small beads you have lying around; I went for faux pearls as I had lots of small ones left over from some broken vintage necklaces.

You'll need:

Leather cord (I used 4mm cord)

Small beads

Beading wire

Jewellery wire (I used approx. 1mm wire)

Clasp

Jump rings

Crimps

Tools:

Scissors

Wire cutters

Round nosed pliers

Flat nosed pliers

Crimping pliers (optional--use flat nosed pliers if you don't have crimpers)

 

1. Cut a length of cord that will wrap loosely 3 times around your wrist, plus 1-2 inches (see note at end).

Cut a length of beading wire approximately twice the length of the cord. Slip a crimp onto one end of the beading wire, loop around the end of the jewellery wire and back through the crimp. Close the crimp; it doesn't matter if the loop doesn't fit tightly around the wire, so long as the loop isn't huge!

2. Wrap the end of the jewellery wire around the end 0.25-0.5 inches of the cord, catching the crimp between the first two revolutions of the wire. On the cord-end of the resulting spring, use flat nosed pliers to press the end of the wire into the leather. The length of beading wire should now be securely attached. (If not, slide it around the spring a little more.)

3. Use round nosed pliers to bend the end of the jewellery wire into a loop.

4. Thread your beads onto the beading wire, winding it around the leather cord as you go.

Before you continue: check the fit of the bracelet around your wrist (remember that the clasp will add to the size of the finished bracelet). I didn't do this and I regret not doing it!

5. Finish the other end of the bracelet as described in steps 1-3. This part can be somewhat fiddly, so take it slow!

6. To finish, attach a clasp using jump rings.

Gift to someone, or keep for yourself :)

Alternatively wear as a necklace ;)

Note on sizing: Having cut cord that wrapped around my wrist only three times, I found the bracelet a little small after adding the pearls (it fit to the wrist). If this kind of fit works for you, run with it, otherwise add an inch or two.

Having now made three bracelets without proper cord end caps...I have ordered some end caps. However, I'm hoping to come up with some more leather cord DIYs that don't involve bracelets!   


Will be linking this post up at various parties--check the link parties tab above!