| Friendship Bracelets |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-611 |
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Q: I'd like to show my 7-year-old daughter how to make bracelets for her friends. Can you refresh my memory? A: (Debbie Stapley, DIY crafts expert) Friendship bracelets are a great craft project for kids. The key is using clasps that are easy to attach and easy for a child to fasten and unfasten. Here are some ideas.
- You may want to use beads with letters to spell out names or words to form the centerpiece of the bracelet (figure A). The lettered and colored beads are easily threaded on reinforced cord to form the bracelet.
- One type of clasp can be created using a decorative button on one end of the cord (figure B) and a simple loop on the other. Make sure the loop is just large enough to fit over the button.
- To attach the button, simply run the cording through the holes in the button and tie a double-knot (figure C).
- Look for waxed cording at craft and jewelry supply stores. This cording is durable, resists fraying and holds a knot well. It's also stiff enough to thread through larger beads without using a needle. Another option is elastic cording, available from fabric stores.
- Tip: Attach a long bead adjacent to the button to work as a spacer (figure D). Also attach one at the other end, adjacent to the loop. This will help make the clasp easier to fasten and unfasten.
- A variation is to use a large, round bead on one end rather than a button. It is fastened using a simple loop in the same manner as before (figure E). The bead is held on by knotting the end of the cord.
- For the second bracelet, we used heavier cording and a tiny metal jewelry-clamp (figure F) -- rather than a knot -- to form the loop.
- To form the loop, simply fold the end of the cord over, place both pieces into the channel of the clamp, and squeeze the clamp tight using needle-nose pliers (figure G).
- The finished loop (figure H) then slips over the round bead to form the clasp of the bracelet. Cut off any excess cording at the end.
- Another option is to use a tiny two-piece magnetic clasp (figure I) that resembles an ordinary barrel-clasp.
- Consider bracelet-making as a crafts activity for a child's birthday party.
RESOURCES :
The Best Little Beading Book
Model: 0964595702
Author: Wendy Simpson Conner
Interstellar Publishing Company
La Mesa, CA 91943
Phone: 619-292-8191
Fax: 619-292-0373
Email: interstlr@aol.com
Family Fun Crafts: 500 Creative Activities for You and Your Kids
Model: 0786863048
Author: Editors of FamilyFun Magazine
(1997)
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
Hyperion Books
New York, NY 10023
Phone: 212-456-0100
Beads (Kids Can Easy Crafts)
Model: 1550741829
Author: Judy Ann Sadler
(1997)
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
Kids Can Press, Ltd.
Website: www.kidscanpress.com
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