Make A Bracelet From A Bead Strand!

Make a bracelet from a bead strand! Aren’t some of those mixed-bead strands at the craft store irresistible?! Ever thought it would be a great bracelet or necklace just as it is? We have! Well there’s no reason why you can’t turn that bead strand into a gorgeous piece of jewelry. It’s as easy as bead stringing, and we’ll show you how!

We’ll show you how to bead the wire, how to finish each end, and how to attach the clasp. It’s so easy!

Video How-to: Make A Bracelet From A Bead Strand

How to Make A Bracelet From A Bead Strand

Materials

Strand of assorted beads, 7” long (Our beads are 8mm to 10mm.)
Bead stringing wire, 19-strand, gold color
Lobster clasp & jump ring, gold
2 Clamshell bead tips, gold
2 Crimp Beads, size #1, gold

Tools

Chain-nose pliers
Wire cutters
Ruler
Scissors
Bead Bug (or masking tape)

Steps

1. Start by laying your bead strand out on your work surface. To keep the beads in the same order as they are on the strand, carefully cut the end of the monofilament or thread the beads are temporarily strung on. Then gently slide the filament out of the beads, keeping them lined up in order.

2. Cut a piece of bead stringing wire about 10” long. Place a “Bead Bug” at one end of the wire to keep your beads from sliding off. If you don’t have a Bead Bug, you can fold a piece of masking tape over the wire at one end.

3. Feed the beads onto the wire one by one until you’ve strung almost all the beads.

4. Stop and measure the beaded section of your wire. For a 7” bracelet, you will want approximately 6½” of beads on the wire, depending on the length of your clasp.

5. Feed on more beads as needed, then measure again until you have 6½” beaded.

6. To finish that end of the bracelet, slide the wire up through the hole in the bottom of the clamshell bead tip.

7. Then slide on a crimp bead. We think it helps to pick up the crimp bead in the tip of the chain-nose pliers and keep holding it with pliers while you slide it onto the wire. Size #1 crimp beads are teensy!

8. Press the crimp bead flat onto the wire with the chain-nose pliers. The crimp bead should be locked into place on the wire. If it still slides around, flatten it again on the wire with the pliers.

9. Trim the end of the wire with the wire cutters next to the flattened crimp bead.

10. Now slide the clamshell bead tip up and over the flattened crimp bead.

11. Gently press the clamshell closed so the crimp bead is nestled inside. Be careful not to press too hard or you could ding the metal sides of the clam.

12. Slide the lobster clasp into the open loop on the clamshell bead tip, then rotate the loop closed with the chain-nose pliers. (If your clamshell bead tips don’t have an open loop on the end, attach the lobster clasp with a jump ring.)

13. To finish the other end of the bracelet, slide the beads down to the lobster clasp end and remove the Bead Bug or masking tape. Then slide a clamshell bead tip onto the wire.

14. Feed a crimp bead onto the wire. Instead of crimping it at the end of the wire, slide it and the clamshell down to the beads. Be sure to remove slack.

15. Reach into the clamshell with the tip of the chain-nose pliers and flatten the crimp onto to wire.

16. Again, gently press the clamshell closed using the chain-nose pliers.

17. Trim the wire. (If you prefer, you can trim the wire next to the crimp bead before you close the clamshell over the crimp.)

18. Slide the other end of the clasp into the open loop on the clamshell, then rotate the loop closed suing the chain-nose pliers.

Aren’t you amazed at how easy that is? You can use the same technique to make a necklace––you’ll just need to start with a longer piece of bead stringing wire. And of course you’ll need 2 or 3 strands of beads! Let us know if you Turn A Bead Strand Into A Bracelet. We’d love to hear how it goes!

Happy Crafting,
Jennifer & Kitty