DIY Network

Carved and Beaded Bangle Bracelet You'll have the best-dressed wrist in town with this felted bangle. From "Uncommon Threads" episode DUCT-223

Melissa Halvorson, of the Fearless Fiber Mavens, creates a striking bracelet using a combination of artistic techniques.

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Carved and Beaded Bangle Bracelet

Materials:

bubble wrap
skewer
super-grip easy liner, friction cloth, rubbery shelf lining or throw-rug liner
towel
basin of hot soapy water
1/4 oz. merino wool roving or batt in each of 4 colors
1 gram size-11 pastel seed beads
6 size-6 transparent pastel seed beads
12 color-lined 2x4mm Japanese drop beads – better than
czech drop beads better holes
gray or surface color beading thread
size 10 beading needle
single edge razor blade

1. Grasp the end of the wool roving with your hands at least 5" apart. Pull some wisps of fiber from the roving. Notice that the fibers are parallel to each other. Overlap about 8 pull-offs of wisps, covering an area 6" long and 5" wide.

2. Lay a skewer 1" in from an edge. Swirl the skewer until it catches the fiber in the grain of the wood. Continue to simply swirl the skewer until the wool collects like a large cotton swab. Roll just the skewer, pressing against the table or your hand, compressing the fibers.

3. Repeat step 1 with another color. Choose one of a contrasting color or value.

4. Repeat step 2, but collect this layer on the wool that has already been collected on the skewer.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 with the other 2 colors.

6. Slide the skewer from the core.

7. Pour 1/2 c. hot soapy water on the bubble-side up. Roll the wool cigar in it, gently at first.

8. Roll the cigar for at least 5 minutes, increasing the pressure after a minute. When the twisted rope is about the diameter of the rope untwisted, stop. Elongate the wool by moving your hands apart and inclining them outward, much like making clay snakes in childhood. To prevent lengthening, use flat hands that work one area, lift and work another area.

9. Squeeze it under hot water and then cold.

10. Repeat step 9 several times.

11. Scrunch it up and roll it vigorously against the bubbles.

Figure A

12. Use the single-edge razor blade to carve wedges of wool from the surface (figure A). Do not cut deeper that midway and seldom that deep. This reveals the colors within.

13. To maintain the profile of the carved bangle, simply rub each incision with a wet soapy finger for a couple minutes.

14. To retain the colors revealed but soften their layers and smooth the surface of the bangle, roll the bangle back and forth against the bubbles.

15. Rinse in hot water and then cool.

Figure B

Note: The prevailing wisdom regarding bangles is that the length should be the bracelet size plus 1". Generally it takes 1" to slide over the closed hand.

16. To connect the ends, knot them together. Bead the connection and the cut-outs of the bangle (figure B) and dot it with drops or single beads. Weave a fin along the cut-outs using Ndebele herringbone stitch.

Editor's note: You can find instructions for this stitch online by typing "Ndebele herringbone" into the search engine.

RESOURCES :

Hand-Felted Jewelry and Beads: 25 Artful Designs
By Carol Huber Cypher
Interweave Press, May 2006
Website: www.interweave.com

GUESTS :

Melissa Halvorson
E-mail: spinninganddyeing@yearofthegoat.biz
Website: www.yearofthegoat.biz