Retired - Grace Kelly Woven Bracelet

Note: Components and tools listed within this INSTRUCTIONS box and the printer-friendly PDF, if available, may have been discontinued since this project was published. Refer to the PURCHASE COMPONENTS and TOOLS AND OTHER SUPPLIES sections for current availability.

1. We are going to make the body of the bracelet using right angle weave. Start by watching our How to Condition Thread for Bead Weaving video and then conditioning a 4 foot length of Nymo nylon beading thread and thread your needle onto the thread.
2. String 1 size 11/0 Czech seed bead in light gold supra metallic, 1 size 11/0 Czech seed bead in antique cream pearl, 1 size 11/0 Czech seed bead in light gold supra metallic, and 1 size 11/0 Czech seed bead in antique cream pearl. Following what you learned in the video, create your first unit of 4 beads with these beads. Pick up more beads and right angle weave a total of 8 units. Some bead weaving instructions refer to these sections as unit columns. You want to end with 8 units in total before going to your next row. Refer back to the video as to how to create the second row.
3. Keep right angle weaving a total of 60 rows. You will need to tie off and add new thread multiple times throughout the length of your bracelet. 60 rows will equal a tight bracelet which is about 6 1/2" long. After approximately the 55th row, start to hold the bracelet against your wrist to see how many rows you want to make in total for a comfortable fit. The clasp is only going to add another 1/4" to the the length. You might find that your bracelet needs to be 65, 70, or 75 rows. Make it so that it will be comfortable to wear. When you are finished, tie off your thread and incorporate into your bead weaving.
4. Set aside your right angle weave work for now and watch the following video: How to do Circular Brick Stitch Bead Weaving around a Bead. This video actually demonstrates the exact ingredients and items used in this project.
5. Following what you learned in the above video; cut, condition, and thread a needle onto a 4 foot length of Nymo nylon beading thread. String onto it 1 Austrian crystal 8mm round pearl. Around the circumference of the pearl, brick stitch a row of size 11/0 Czech seed bead in light gold supra metallic. Next, brick stitch a row of 11/0 Czech seed bead in antique cream pearl and another row of 11/0 Czech seed bead in light gold supra metallic. Tie off your thread and weave it back into your beadwork. Repeat this entire step with a second Austrian crystal 8mm round pearl.
6. Repeat the above step to complete a third unit of brick stitching around a pearl, but this time when you finish the third row, do not tie off your thread. Instead, watch the video How to Add a Decorative Beaded Edge to Bead Weaving. Using Austrian crystal 3mm round pearls and size 11/0 Czech seed beads in light gold supra metallic, create a decorative beaded edge on the unit you just completed with brick stitching around the 8mm pearl.
7. Look at the photo of the project for placement of these three beaded "buttons". The one with the decorative edge is in the very middle of the bracelet. On each end of the bracelet there is one of the "plainer" buttons. All three are going to be sewn in place. To do so, first cut, condition, and thread a needle onto a 2 foot length of Nymo thread. Let's start with the middle button. Take your needle and going from the back of your bracelet to the front, at the exact center of your bracelet (both length and width) pull your threaded needle through the bracelet center. Pull until you have an 8" tail remaining on the backside and the rest of the thread and the needle on the front side. Now thread your needle through one of the Czech seed beads in light gold supra metallic which is part of the first brick stitched row around the 8mm pearl in the button with the decorative edge.
8. Pull this button so that it lays tightly against the right angle woven beads of your bracelet. Make sure not to pull that 8" tail out of the back. Now sew through one of the beads in your bracelet and then back up through another bead in that first brick stitched row of the button. There is not an exact science to this, you are just trying to sew the button (through its beadwork) to the beads which make up the body of the bracelet. Try to sew in and out of the beads themselves vs. the threads connecting them. Also try to hide your stitching as much as possible. Make sure to secure the button on opposite sides, not just one section but sections across from each other. Once you have made several passes through, gently tug on the button to see how secure it is. When you feel like it is securely sewn onto the beadwork below it, tie off your thread. Go back and incorporate that 8" tail into your bead weaving and tie it off.
9. Repeat the above step with your two "plainer" buttons - one on each end of the bracelet. One of these buttons is going to act as half of our clasp.
10. Now all we have left to do is make the loop which is going to slip around one of the above side buttons.
11. To make this beaded loop, begin by cutting, conditioning, and threading a needle onto 2 feet of Nymo thread.
12. Choose the side of the bracelet where you want to have the loop be connected to. On this side, weave your needle and thread into the beadwork 2 rows back from the edge, leaving a tail of 8". Work your thread in and out of the beads until you arrive at the outer edge and your needle is exiting the edge bead of the 3rd unit (going towards the center of the bracelet). String onto it 1 size 11/0 Czech seed bead in antique cream pearl and 1 size 11/0 Czech seed bead in light gold supra metallic. String 1 Austrian crystal 3mm round pearl. Next, string 1 size 11/0 Czech seed bead in light gold supra metallic, 1 size 11/0 Czech seed bead in antique cream pearl, 1 size 11/0 Czech seed bead in light gold supra metallic, 1 size 11/0 Czech seed bead in antique cream pearl, etc. until you end up with a total of 33 beads after the pearl, alternating between gold, cream, gold, cream.... your last bead should be another gold one. Now pass your needle through the Austrian crystal 3mm pearl which is already strung and pull tightly to create a loop. Make sure your thread is tight and that loop is resting on the edge of your bracelet. Now string 1 size 11/0 Czech seed bead in light gold supra metallic and 1 size 11/0 Czech seed bead in antique cream pearl. Pass your needle now through the bead on the edge of your bracelet which makes up the 6th unit in right angle weave along the edge. Weave your thread in and out of the the beads along the first 2 rows of your bracelet.
13. Tie off your thread and incorporate the tail into the bead weaving. Go back to that 8" tail you left when you started the loop and tie it off and incorporate back into your bead weaving.
14. All done! Hope you enjoyed!

• SWP-8001 - Austrian Crystal, 5810 Round Faux Pearl Beads 8mm, 25 Pieces, White
  Project uses 1 package. You will need 1 package.


• SWP-3001 - Austrian Crystal, 5810 Round Faux Pearl Beads 3mm, 50 Pieces, White
  Project uses 1 package. You will need 1 package.


• XCR-8900 - NYMO Nylon Beading Thread Size D for Delica Beads Ivory 64YD (58 Meters)
  Project uses 1 package. You will need 1 package.


• BCS-1161 - Czech Seed Beads 11/0 Light Gold Supra Metallic (1 Hank)
  Project uses 1 package. You will need 1 package.


• BCS-1172 - Czech Seed Beads Size 11/0 Antiqued Cream Pearl (1 Hank/4000 Beads)
  Project uses 1 package. You will need 1 package.


• XCR-9802 - 1 Ounce Bar Beeswax Thread Strengthening Conditioner for Beads/Quilting/Crafting
  Project uses 1 package. You will need 1 package.

• XTL-3006 - Beadsmith English Beading Needles Size 12 (4 Needles)
• XTL-0106 - BeadSmith Cordless Thread Zap II Thread Burner Tool