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Project Info:
Beads:
- 1 Strand Pearls
- 2-3 Strands Gemstones
Leather:
- 2 yards 1.5mm Leather for 4 wrap bracelet
Button
- Select any button that has a shank or holes to fit your leather. Billie is a single hole button which Nicole wire-wrapped a headpin and made a shank.
Thread:
Any KO thread of your choice for gemstones.
C-Lon for silk wrapping
Tools:
- 1 Ultra Thread Zap
- 1 Tube GS Hypo Cement
- 1 Pair Thread Snips or Flush Cutters
- 1 Spool Handy Tape
- 1 Deep Dish Project Tray
- 1 Deep Dish Project Tray Insert
- Scrap Rattail
- Beads:
- 1 Strand Pearls
- 2-3 Strands Gemstones
- Leather:
- 2 yards 1.5mm Leather for 4 wrap bracelet
- Button
- Select any button that has a shank or holes to fit your leather. Billie is a single hole button which Nicole wire-wrapped a headpin and made a shank.
- Tools:
- 1 Ultra Thread Zap
- 1 Tube GS Hypo Cement
- 1 Pair Thread Snips or Flush Cutters
- 1 Spool Handy Tape
- 1 Deep Dish Project Tray
- 1 Deep Dish Project Tray Insert
- Scrap Rattail
Level: Beginner
Estimated time: About 1 hour per wrap
by Beadshop.com Staff and Nicole Anderson
Hands down, wrap bracelets are the number one requested project in jewelry making. After the tremendous response to our first laddering video, we began fielding phone calls and emails about..."How do I add a thread? What is KO? Is it the same using leather?" We realized there were still things we wanted to cover, so we decided to make another video that would add to our existing knowledge. You might be wondering, Why didn't we make this video to begin with? Tricks to Laddering answers questions we just did not know about when we filmed How to Make a Ladder Bracelet using soft cords.
Tricks to Laddering
Project Map
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Sample A:
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Sample B:
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Sample C:
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Sample D:
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Sample E:
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Sample F:
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About Beads:
Choose your colors and away you go. We started with a strand of white pearls 3.5-4mm 16” in length, some gemstone rondelles (about 3 packages for a 4 wrap bracelet), a button, 1.5mm leather and a spool of KO. For simplicity, we stayed with white pearls and kept the color in the gems, leather and KO. But you can easily mix and match colored pearls with colored gemstones...the permutations are endless!
About Leather and Buttons:
With so many colors of leather available, it is definitely hard to “just say no” to any of them. All of our samples were created with leather 1.5-1.75mm in diameter. We used both Greek and Indian leather. If you want guidance in choosing, we recommend selecting leather that will compliment one of your gemstone colors. If you’re going bridal, white or pastels are calming and harmonious.
About KO:
Created by a well-known Japanese seed bead artist, KO is in a class by itself. For laddering of small beads, it is the easiest and best thread to use and it does not require a needle. The rule of thumb for how much thread to cut: KO should be twice as long as the leather. Just in case you do not cut enough, we demonstrate in the video how to add a new thread. Running out of thread happens to even the most skilled laddering artist...so join the club!
Please send us photos of creations. We would love to post your results on our Facebook page. If you would be willing to share your design, we will happily give credit and publish your project story for our readers.
xoxo thank you and enjoy!