DIY - silk and seed bead bracelet

Summer wouldn't be summer without a few new bracelets - I've made a new set of bracelets every year since I was about eight years old. I have decided to keep this years summer friendship bracelet really simple, its the sort of thing you can make whilst out and about as there are only four materials required. I used silk cord to give them a luxe touch, the colours of these silk cords are so pretty you really don't need much else to make them look lovely.

Materials - Silk cord No.5, tiger-tail, crimps, a selection of seed beads. 

Step 1. Cut a length of tiger tail approx 10cm long. Tread on a crimp and fold the end of the tiger tail back through the crimp to make a small loop (you want this to be as small as you can). Squeeze the crimp flat to secure.

Step 2, Thread on your seed beads, I decided on just one colour per bracelet as it looked less fussy. I used about 14 beads per bracelet which was approx. 4cm long. Once happy with your length thread on a crimp and repeat the process in step one. 

Step 3. Tie a knot at the end of your cord and thread on three seed beads and a crimp. The very first bead will form a decoration at the end of the cord and the next two are to create a fastening. I chose to use different colours but you don't have too. 

Step 4. Thread the silk thread through one of the loops of the beaded section and back through the crimp. Make a very small loop and squeeze the crimp closed. You need the bracelet to be able to fit over your hand, my wrists are weirdly small so each length of thread was 10 - 12 cm, you might want to add a few extra centimeters to this measurement - its much easier cut away extra length than it is to add back on. 

Step 5. Tie a knot at the end of your cord and thread on a seed bead, use the same colour as bead one in step 3. Thread this cord through your two fastening beads in the opposite direction to the first thread. 

Thread a crimp onto the silk cord and thread through the loop of the beaded section. Thread the cord back through the crimp, like step 3, and squeeze closed. Cut off any extra cord. Test the length of the bracelets, if they are looking a bit on the long side just cut them a bit shorter. 

There you have it, perfectly summery bracelets that can be left on and taken off in the autumn. All we need now is a few hot days to go with - happy making! x