Rachel Robin's Nest

Crafts, Projects and Recipes to Help Feather Your "Nest"

DIY Mother’s Day Gift: Wrap Bracelet May 11, 2012

Filed under: DIY — raediantphoenix @ 6:30 pm
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Mother’s Day is one of the those holidays that it’s so easy to forget or overlook.  It’s sort of made up, and is very gimmicky.  I mean, I treat my mom like royalty all year round–I don’t need an excuse!  ;)  

But if you’re like most of the world, you might have forgotten that Mother’s Day is on Sunday.  And like most of the world, you are probably looking for a quick, easy, beautiful gift for mom.  What could be better than something you made with your own two hands?  If your mom is like mine (sappy as all hell), she’s sure to love and appreciate a handmade gift above almost anything else. 

Therefore, I’d like to present you with this tutorial for making a beautiful wrap bracelet.  Make one in Mom’s favorite colors, or make a bunch to go with all her favorite outfits.  Of course, I found them on Pinterest, but you can find the original tutorial here.

DIY Wrap Bracelets (Via Honestly WTF)

Materials:

  • Leather cord
  • Ball chain or crystal chain (available for purchase here.  I also found limited selections at A.C. Moore)
  • Waxed linen cord (I used embroidery floss run through my sewing wax) or hemp
  • Button or other item to use for the closure
  • Scissors

Directions:

1. First you need to decide if you are making a single or a double length bracelet.  If single, cut a piece of leather cord that is a few inches more than twice the circumference of your wrist.  For a double, cut double that length.  Cut a length of ball chain or crystal chain to either single or double the circumference of your wrist

2.  Fold your cord  in half and knot the folded end in a loop just big enough to pass your button through.  This will be the closure of the bracelet

3.  Cut a healthy length of waxed linen or embroidery floss.  I used twice the length of my leather.  Basically just make sure you have enough, because if you don’t, you will be very sad and have to start over.

4.  Lay about 1/2 inch of the linen along the leather with the free end facing away from your knot, then begin wrapping the linen around the leather cording and itself, to secure the free end.

5.  Line up the free end of your ball or crystal chain on top of your leather cord and wrap the linen around the gap between the two balls and all the way around the leather twice.  Repeat this process all the way down your chain, until your bracelet is the desired length.

6.  Wrap the linen around the leather cord a few more times as at the beginning to secure

7.  Run the leather cord and the linen through your button or closure and knot to secure.

Aren’t these just beautiful?  I want to make a whole bunch of them in different colors and wear them all at the same time!  And they really couldn’t be easier–they come together in just a few minutes.

 

 

Red leather, yellow leather, reh lellah, lellow lellah…?? November 17, 2011

Filed under: DIY — raediantphoenix @ 1:56 pm
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As most of my friends know, I finished up a run of the musical Hair this past weekend.  It was an excellent show, and I can honestly say I have never bonded so closely with a cast and crew before.  I’m going to miss everyone desperately.

As is tradition, the cast pooled together money and time to create/purchase gifts for our fearless production team.  I was tasked with creating a custom gift for our music director, Jason.  Jason’s favorite warm up is the tongue-twister “Red Leather, Yellow Leather.”  Try saying that five times fast.  Now eight times.  Now do it while singing a scale.  Then back down.  Now faster.  And faster!   It’s not easy, I tell you.  But Jason loves it.  So we did it almost every night.

We all thought it would be really fun to get/make him a little something of red and yellow leather, so my buddy Deanna and I hit up Play Time in Arlington, and I hit the jackpot:  red and yellow leather sueded strips.  I wove them together using a 5 stranded braiding technique, which I’d like to share with you today.  It’s great for keychains, necklaces, bracelets, belts, purse straps… really anything that you need a colorful and durable strap for.

You need 5 pieces of whatever it is that you’re braiding.  If you’re using only 2 different colors, like me, make sure you stagger them, as in the picture below.  You want to start with three pieces in your left hand and two pieces in your right.

Braid the three pieces in your left hand as you would normally.  Now, take the piece that is furthest to the right, and move it over next to the two pieces in your right hand, so you now have three pieces in your right hand.

Braid the three pieces in your right hand as you would normally.  Now, take the piece that is furthest left, and move it over next to the two pieces in your left hand.  You should now have three pieces in your left hand.

Are you sensing a pattern here?  Good.  Repeat the above two steps, braiding on the left and right, until your piece is the length you desire.  Make sure your pieces don’t get twisted up, and use a uniform tightness so you don’t have weird gaps.  Secure the ends in the way that makes sense to you.  I actually taped mine up before sewing them. 

Then, to make the key chain, I looped a split key ring onto the strap, and sewed the ends together.  I trimmed the excess, and then to cover the tape and awkward stitches, I wrapped a piece of red grosgrain ribbon around and sewed in place.

Quick, easy, and pretty.  When Jason received it at the cast party, he led us all in a rousing rendition of “Red Leather, Yellow Leather” (which, after a few drinks sounded more like “reh lellah, lellow lellah”).

 

 
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