Pretty Glass Bead Bracelet

Making a professional looking, wire work bracelet is easier than you think! This dramatic piece is made entirely with wrapped loops. To see a video we made showing how to make this bracelet step-by-step, click on this link at Curious.com.

Materials
4 faceted glass coin beads, 20mm
5 silver and white round beads, 8mm
silver lobster clasp, 12mm
silver loop chain, 1¼” length
24 gauge silver-plated wire

Tools
chain-nose pliers
round-nose pliers
flush cutters/wire snips
bead board or piece of felt
ruler
tape measure

Steps
1. To get your bracelet length, measure your wrist with the tape measure and add 1” (our bracelet length is 7”). Arrange your beads on a bead board or piece of felt, leaving room at the ends for the lobster clasp and chain, and in between each bead to account for the wirework.

2. Cut a 3” piece of wire. Grip the wire with the round-nose pliers about 1” from the end. Bend the wire over the pliers 90 degrees and start to make a loop (see below). Before you finish the loop, slide the end of the lobster clasp into the loop and finish with a wrapped loop. Trim the end with the flat side of the flush cutters against your wirework.

How To Make A Wrapped Loop: Grip a 3” piece of wire with the round-nose pliers. Bend the wire over the pliers 90 degrees. Reposition the pliers, gripping the wire at the 90-degree bend. Grab the end of the wire with your fingers and wrap it around the pliers to make a partial loop. Shift the pliers again and continue wrapping the wire around the pliers to form a loop. Grasp the loop flat in the jaws of the chain-nose pliers. Without moving the pliers, grab the end of the wire with your fingers and wrap it twice around the neck of the wire. Trim the end.

Here’s a video we made showing how to make a wrapped loop.

(If you like our video, check out our YouTube channel.)

3. To make your first beaded wrapped-loop component, cut another 3” piece of wire and start to make a loop. Feed the partial loop through the end of the wrapped loop you made in Step 2. Slide a silver and white bead onto the end of the wire and finish with a wrapped loop.

4. Cut another 3” piece of wire and make a partial loop like you did in Step 2. Before you wrap your loop, slide the end of the component you just made into the loop. Finish with a wrapped loop.

5. Continue making and connecting wrapped-loop components, hooking them end-to-end until you reach the end of the bracelet. Before you close and wrap the last loop, slide the wire through one end of the chain. Finish with wire with a wrapped loop.

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