What you need:
1. Suede cord
2. Thin gold chain
3. Foldover Cord Ends
4. Lobster Claw Clasps
5. Chain Nose Pliers
6. Jump Rings
What you do:
1. Gather your supplies. Start with two strands of turquoise suede cord and two fold over cord ends.
2. Using your chain nose pliers, attach the fold over cord ends to the end of each strand of suede cord. First fold over and flatten one side on top of the cord, and then the other. Make sure they are secure.
3. Tape the two suede cords and one gold chain together to your table, and start braiding. Keep the suede cords flat when braiding. Be sure you don’t flip them over as you braid them, but move them side to side.
4. When you have reached the end of your bracelet, trim the cords, and attach fold over ends to the other sides. Then connect the two suede cords and the end of the chain with a jump ring. (Basically just use your pliers to open the jump ring and then close it back around the three ends.) Remove the tape and do the same thing to the other end, but on this end, also add the lobster clasp.
5. Now you have your basic bracelet, and it could be finished like this. I like to add an extra bit of chain (like a few links of a larger gold chain), or a few extra jump rings to the other side of the bracelet. This will make it easier to put on and off and it will give it a little flexibility in size. This is especially a nice touch when you are making this bracelet as a gift and you don’t know exactly how big to make it.
This bracelet is a wonderful handmade gift, and you could easily play around with different combinations of colors and chains for different looks. This is also a great project for someone just learning to make their own jewelry, because you only need a couple basic tools and pieces of jewelry findings.
…and if you’re looking for a fun way to wrap a handmade bracelet, check out this collection of 15 free printable gift box templates for some fun ideas. I think the paper pyramid boxes are my all-time favorites!
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