Crafts

Ever find some beads and think to yourself, “Oh, I’d like to have those on a bracelet…” but don’t know how? Here are a few simple steps to follow to turn just about any string of beads into some wearable art! Let’s get started!

Supplies:

- a crimper [buy]
- a needle nose pliers (you might not actually need these, I just think they help while working with tiny things) [buy]
- beading wire [buy]
- beads [SO many to pick from here]
- a clasp (here I used a toggle clasp, but lobster claw clasps are very common too!)
- a charm, if you fancy (the bee I have here is from Beads of La Jolla) [find more here]
- crimp beads [buy]

The left is a closeup shot of some crimp beads, the bee charm, and the toggle clasp. On the right is a closeup (and blurry, sorry!) shot of what a crimping tool looks like.


Cut some of your wire, at least a few inches longer than the desired length of the finished bracelet. Take one of your crimp beads and feed one end of the wire through it, then feed one of the halves of your clasp onto the wire. Take that same end of the wire and feed it back through the crimp bead.

Next, use your crimper to crimp the crimp bead! Here is how to use one (I’ll let the pictures do the talking, because I’m pretty sure I’d just be confusing if I tried to write it out)!

Once you have one end of your bracelet secure, feed on your beads in any order you wish! Here I used black onyx beads and golden seed beads. If you can, slide your beads over the little short nubbin of wire that’s not the wire you’re stringing beads onto. If your beads are too small, clip the little leftover off with a nail clippers (other tools work well, I’m sure, I’ve just had the easiest time with clippers, especially compared to scissors).

When you have enough beads to fill the length of the bracelet, it’s time to attach the other end of your clasp. Repeat the first step(s) with another crimp bead, the other end of your clasp, and your crimper. If you can feed some of the “left over” wire through additional beads at the end, do it! Otherwise, clip any excess after you have crimped the final crimp. Note: try to leave just enough space at the end so that the bracelet is still flexible (if you pull your wire too tight, it’ll be hard to wrap the bracelet around your wrist).

Aaaand that’s pretty much it! If want to add a charm, take a jumpring, twist it apart just enough to slip on the charm and attach it to your bracelet, then twist it back together.

I realized I don’t have a finished picture of this bracelet – woops! I’m making these for the girls at work for the company’s birthday coming up in May – yay! I still have a few more to make so hopefully I’ll get a picture up eventually!

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I love fabric flowers! Probably because I have a fabric obsession and flowers make me happy…I guess it only makes sense.

I have been wanting to try a new fabric flower “pattern” so I came up with this (though I am certain it has been done before, many, many times). I thought it was going to be harder than it actually ended up being, so yay! Here goes!

You’ll need:
- Fabric (you only need a little, and [obvi] the bigger the flower you want, the more fabric you need!) – I uses a stretch knit here (that I got in the garment district in LA!! ), but you can use just about anything.
- Scissors
- Needle
- Thread

The steps:
Cut a total of 9 circles (or almost-circles – they don’t have to be perfect)! Five (5) “big” ones, and four (4) “little” ones. The little ones should be just a tiny bit smaller than the big ones, though honestly I’m not sure if it matters at all if they are different sizes.

Take one big piece and lay it flat on your work surface. Take two more big pieces and fold them in half, laying them beside each other (the straight sides touching) on top of the flat piece.

Stitch an adorable little X right in the center of your soon-to-be fabric flower.

Next, take your last two remaining “big” circles and fold them in half and place them straight sides touching, on top of your already stitched pieces. Rotate this layer 90 degrees so the straight edges make an X.

Stitch another cute little X right through the center, and this time you’ll be going through all three “layers” of the flower.

Take your four little circles and fold them in half.

Take each piece and layer them so that half of each folded circle is covered by half of another. In the end, it should look something like this picture.

Pick up your layer of layered folded fabric circles and place them on top of what you already have started. Make sure the “intersection” of all the pieces are as close together as you can get them, then stitch yet another sweet stitch right through the middle, through all the layers. Make a couple X stitches if you like! Pull your thread tight enough so that the top layers start to fold in on themselves (just a little).

Flip over your flower and knot it off on the back to make sure it doesn’t fall apart later.

Flip it back over and voila! You have yourself one totally rad fabric flower! Ruffle it up if your layers are still sticking together, or just give it a little shake.

I whipped up a few of these and attached them to some simple t-shirts I picked up from Target for three lovely little ladies that reside in Iowa. I got them in the mail today! You like? I hope the girls like them! Now I need to make something for myself….

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If you’re crafty and like cute (and silly and crazy) things, Stuffed is the magazine for YOU! If the covers aren’t enough to pull you in (I mean really, how adorable ARE they?!), just LOOK at some of the images INSIDE (below the text)!

Here is what the mag has to say about itself:

A crocheted bird … a felt monster … a cat made from an old sweater … so many different materials can be used to create the loveable and huggable creatures known as “softies.” Stuffed: A Gathering of Softies celebrates these uniquely whimsical characters through page after page of gorgeous photos, easy-to-understand tips and techniques and an endless amount of inspiration. Veteran softie artists and new fans alike will enjoy this playful look at stuffed creatures of all shapes, sizes, colors, and materials.

Seeing all of these pretties just makes me wanted to get out my supplies and craft the day away. Anyone else?

Find out more about Stuffed magazine by checking out its website!

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