Instructions for the tube bracelets have been revised so I am re-posting here. Visit Anita's beads to see all this summer's new kit designs. All components are available separately in silver, gold, copper, gunmetal and antique brass.
Your kit contains:
1 24-inch piece of .015 beading wire
2 crimp beads
2 metal wire guards (look like horse shoes)
1 magnet clasp
4 3x2mm rondelle metal beads
4 3mm round metal beads
4 2x38mm metal tubes
6 metal flat heishi spacer beads
10 colored bracelet beads
1 focal bead
You will need the following tools:
Chain nose pliers
Cutters
Step 1) Attach clasp to wire guard with crimp:
Thread
the beading wire through one tube of the wire guard from the bottom,
and then down the second tube from the top. (Note: if you are unfamiliar
with wire guards, they are horse-shoe shaped with a hollow tube portion
at both ends connected by an open u-shaped channel between them.)
Move
the wire guard to the center of the beading wire. Now slip one ring of
your magnet clasp over one end of the beading wire and bring it up into
wire guard so it rests around the u-shaped channel. Once the magnet
clasp is attached, bring both ends of the beading wire through the
crimp. Pinch the two tube portions of the wire guard together so they
are touching, and slide the crimp up to meet them.
With
your chain nose pliers, flatten the crimp so it makes secure contact to
hold the wires. For the best appearance, there should be no space
between the wire guard and the flattened crimp. Make sure you do not
compress the tiny tubes of the wire guard as you flatten the crimp.
Step 2) String on beads:
Holding
the two wires together, string one colored bracelet bead, then one
metal rondelle, and then one 3mm round metal bead and slide them up to
the crimp. Now split the wires and string one metal tube onto each one
and slide them up to the 3mm round metal bead.
Hold the
two wires together again and string on one 3mm round metal bead, one
metal rondelle, one bracelet bead, and one heishi. Continue to alternate
bracelet beads and heishi for a total of two, three, or four sets. Then
add the focal bead, followed by enough bracelet beads and heishi to
match the first side, ending with a bracelet bead.
You can adjust the size of your bracelet by the number of beads added in the center on either side of the focal bead.
String
on a rondelle metal bead directly after the last bracelet bead, and
then string on a metal 3mm round. Now split the wires again and string
one metal tube onto each.
The bring the wires together
again and string on one 3mm round bead, one rondelle, one colored
bracelet bead, and finally, the second crimp.
Step 3) Add second wire guard and attach to clasp:
Make
sure all beads are strung evenly and without spaces, showing bare wire
as little as is possible. Separate the two wires coming out of the
second crimp and feed one up through
one side of the second wire guard, across the top of the wire guard, and
down
through the second side.
Now
slip the second ring of your magnet clasp over the piece of beading wire that
you just fed through the second side of the wire guard and bring it up
into wire guard so it rests around the u-shaped channel. Once the magnet
clasp is attached, bring the end of the beading wire back down through
the crimp and the colored bracelet bead. Pinch the two tube portions of the wire guard together so
they are touching.
Keeping the crimp in position
against the last colored bracelet bead, pull the tail of the wire
running through the wire guard until the gap is eliminated between the
crimp and the wire guard.
You
still have a second piece of beading wire going up through the crimp.
Bring this second piece of beading wire back down
through the crimp, forming a loop. Then, reduce the size of the loop by
pulling on the short piece of the second wire until there is just a
small "nub" at the top of the crimp.
With your chain
nose pliers, flatten the crimp so it makes secure contact to hold the
wires. For the best appearance, there should be no space between the
wire guard and the flattened crimp. Make sure you do not compress the
tiny tubes of the wire guard as you flatten the crimp.
Step 4) Trim wires:
Carefully
trim off the two short
pieces as close as you can, one to the bottom of the flattened crimp
and the other to the colored bracelet bead. Your tube bracelet is now
complete.
Visit Anita's Beads and ask to see a demonstration at the counter
if you need help, or join us for Bead Club which meets Monday and Thursday from 2:00-4:00. No appointment is necessary--just drop in!
