These bracelets they take me back to days of summer camp and recess, the wonderful days of friendship bracelets. They combine a few of my favorite things—bangles, charms, and embroidery thread. And it’s a perfect project for a Saturday afternoon or even a movie night or day at the park if you’re a multitasker.
I just love that these bracelets can be customized to death. Even though my version and the tutorial use bronze charms and findings, silver would be equally fabulous. I can imagine these as part of bridesmaids’ gifts (think charms with each girl’s initials or charms that speak to each girl’s passions or hobbies) or favors for a birthday party.
Let’s get started!
COST
Because I already had a bunch of bangles and a heap of embroidery thread, I just needed to buy the glue ($5.99 for a good size bottle of E6000), the jump-rings, and a few charms. Everything came to around $20, but with these materials you can make a whole bunch of awesome bracelets.
Photo ©Heart of Frederick
TIPS
- Start by applying a dot of glue on the inside of the bracelet and directly onto your embroidery thread. If you’re using something like E6000, let it sit for a minute or two before joining. You’ll also do this to secure the end once you’re finished wrapping
- Wrapping the bracelet is not the hardest part of this project, but it is the most tedious. Get comfy and plan on spending about 30 minutes for one bracelet and make sure that none of the metal (or plastic) is peeking through the thread
- The jump rings. These little things seem harmless enough, but I think there’s a study somewhere proving they are the sole cause of madness among jewelry makers. A lot of people do this wrong (including me for like 10 years), so here’s the best way to do it. With two sets of small pliers, grip both sides of the ring at the split, but do not pull it apart by pulling the two sides away from each other. Instead, twist the split apart by pulling one side toward you. Close it in the same manner with two sets of pliers.
MODIFICATIONS
None! The tutorial, like a set of Ikea instructions, does a pretty great job of visualizing what you need to do without words. The only modifications you would need to make here are choosing from all the wonderful charms at your disposal!
RESULTS
Awesome. I love them! I just need to find the right outfit so I can wear all the colors all at the same time. I would say it takes at least a full hour to make one bracelet, but it’s worth the work.
Photo ©Heart of Frederick
Pinterest Actually by Ashley Henley
Ashley loves all things crafty and is thrilled that handmade is becoming cool again. She takes a DIY approach to most things and has learned to re-frame any failures as adding “character” to the final product. By day, Ashley is a marketing writer/editor in the healthcare industry and shares a tiny old house in downtown Frederick with her husband, three dogs, and three cats.
Hey, if you have your eye on a DIY project that seems too good to be true, leave a comment below as a future Pinterest Actually project suggestion!
