The baby bracelet that I made my daughter broke (actually many months ago but sometimes it takes that long to get things fixed around here) so today I got out the beading materials. Not only did I fix it but I made another one for an upcoming baby shower. This one I'm going to try to incorporate into a card. I bought beading materials years ago and have done very little with them. I found that I didn't really like to wear the stuff that I made! I did, however, like to make and give this little bracelets away as new baby gifts. They are more of a keepsake, not really meant to be worn. They make a nice personalized gift to send someone who lives far away. They are inexpensive to make and light weight to ship. If I'm wanting to do a little more, I include a gift certificate. If you want to make them, you will need a pair of crimper pliers as well as the beads, crimp beads, jump rings and clasps. I suggest using TigerTail, which is a flexible nylon-covered wire. It's stiff so it does not require a needle and it holds its shape which makes stringing the beads easier. To attach the clasp or jump ring, you slide a crimp bead and one part of the clasp or ring onto the tigertail. Slide the tigertail back through the crimp bead, pull it tight, and then flatten the crimp bead so it stays. Trim the excess wire.
When I got started I bought a kit that included some beads, cord & wire, clasps, a flocked bead board, and an instruction book. The bead board makes it easy to lay out your designs before you string them. I borrowed a small pair of pliers and wire cutters from my husbands tool box until I bought my own.
Jump Rings
Lobster Clasp
Crimp Beads
Crimping PliersMaterials: Tigertail wire, 2 crimp beads, 1 clasp (lobster claw or spring), various beads, wire cutters, crimper pliers
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