Happy Christmas, to my friends who celebrate!

I’ve been working on a thicker and more advanced version of the very popular ladder stitch bracelet.
You can see my original (beginning level) tutorial here.
https://goodrivergallery.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/free-beading-tutorial-ladder-stitch-bracelet-with-lampwork-closure/

You should read through the original before you try this one since this builds on the basic version.

This tutorial should explain how to do a piece with multiple rows as well as adding a braid option.

Materials:
**Work Surface

**Thumbtack

**C-Lon Macrame Cord
(I get it from caravan beads here: http://www.caravanbeads.net/ProdList.asp?scat=76 )

** For a double wrap bracelet, 3 pieces, 1 1/2 yards long each 1mm leather (available from your local bead store)

** 5 grams size 8/0 seed beads (also available from Caravan Beads)

** 20 grams 3.5 cube beads. The hole needs to be 1mm so it slides over the leather. This would also look GREAT with tiny spacer beads.

** Button or Lampwork glass bead

**Twisted Wire Needles

**Some glue – I suggest watch glue.
————
Alrighty, ready to get started? Cut the three pieces of leather as directed in the materials above.Find the approximate middle point on them. We’ll be starting by making the buttonhole loop, so the important part of this is that we start about 1/2″ off center and that we make sure the loop is big enough for your button or bead.

Use the c-lon to bundle them together. Wrap them together, tie off and then go ahead and start weaving (over one, under one, over one and around the bundle) to flatten your pieces. I’ve got them pinned down to my work surface.

Using the same technique from the previous/basic version here, weave the beads between the leather “weft”. Remember to always go through the beads as you pass them with the needle, otherwise you’ll have unsightly c-lon loops. If you were to use the same size beads, this would allow you to do multirow bracelets. Since I’m trying to make a loop, however, the outer row is bigger beads than the inner row (I’ve used 8/0 seed beads in the inner row and cubes on the outer row).

Since the loop wasn’t curving fast enough, I had to add increases in the outer row.  The following photos are a little overexposed, sorry.

Okay, so increasing one side is actually a royal pain in the a$$ because you have to make sure you do it evenly and it has to match your bracelet closure (button or bead) when you are finished. I had to take mine out twice before it worked out. But my final increase was done every THIRD cube bead. A better way to do this would be just to make sure your outer bead is significantly larger than the inner bead so the curve naturally happens.

As a side note, this does not match the increases in the photos, but every THIRD bead worked for a 3/4 inch button.

To work an increase, add the cube (outside/larger) bead and then instead of going directly to the inner bead double back and add another cube/larger bead. On the next pass, you’ll add both the outer and inner beads as normal.

Once your buttonhole is complete, you’ll want to wrap a shank on it. Put a spot of glue on the shank to keep it all together.

Now… You can either go ahead and use the same technique to spread your 6 strands out and weave between them with the ladder stitch technique (this makes a wide, really wonderful bracelet) shown above… You need to make certain that all your beads have approximately the same width, otherwise the bracelet will undulate, which actually can give you another completely different design idea.

….or you can braid.

I’ve decided to braid because after doing the ladder stitch three times for that buttonhole I was totally done with the whole idea. I have to tell you here that the only previous ladder stitch bracelet I managed to finish was the one I made for the previous tutorial before I got totally bored.

We’re going to use a six-strand braid, which is why I had you cut so much leather. You’ll see below that I also covered the shank with a little bit of peyote stitch since I can’t leave well enough alone and I’d done a messy job wrapping that shank. We’re going to use a six-strand flat braid here.

Flatten out your six strands.

Here’s how this works WITHOUT beads.
1 * From the right, you’ll take the first strand (I’ll call this the working cord), go under the second strand and over the third strand.
2 * From the left you’ll take the first strand, go over the second strand, under the third strand and over the fourth strand (which was the working cord from the other side).

Repeat steps 1 & 2.

Here’s a website you can check to see this in a little more detail (without beads). This is actually the website on which I learned to do this particular flat braid.
http://www.seekyee.com/Slings/howtos/6strand1.htm

Here’s how this works WITH beads.
I’ve used cube beads here, but I’ll bet this would be great with lampwork spacers. Remember, you just have to make them big enough to go over a 1mm leather code. I’m not sure what size mandrel this is.

1* From the right, you’ll take the first strand (I’ll call this the working cord), go under the second strand, add a bead, and over the third strand.
2* From the left you’ll take the first strand, go over the second strand, under the third strand, add a bead, and over the fourth strand (which was the working cord from the other side).

Repeat steps 1 & 2.

The finished beadwork will appear to have a herringbone pattern.

Braid to the end of your bracelet. Try to braid as tightly as possible, and stretch the leather a little bit as you go. You’ll see the tension even out as you continue to work the braid.

At the end, you can either knot the button/bead directly onto the leather or you can add a piece of c-lon and make a shank that attaches to the button/bead. That’s what I did because my Czech button has a tiny metal shank in the back that only went over a single piece of leather.

Here’s a photo of the finished piece again – enjoy!

Okay, now lets see your versions!

Did you know that I have free tutorials on my website?  You can find them here.
http://www.goodrivergalleries.com/tips.htm

Also, when I work up patterns that haven’t been tested, I offer them for free on my newsletter.  Want to sign up?  http://www.goodrivergalleries.com/contact.htm

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