Simple Leather Bracelet Tutorial

A little while ago my fellow AJE team mate Caroline sent me some gorgeous Greek cast metal closures and charms with a lovely verdigris patina. They just screamed out leather bracelet and I thought I share this simple summery design with you today...

Materials

Mykonos cast hook and eye clasp set

Mykonos Charm (optional)

7" 6mm leather cord (or length to fit wrist)

2 x 14" pieces copper wire 18SWG/16AWG
1 large hole bead
Flat/round nose pliers
Wire cutters
LOS
Clear Epoxy adhesive
6mm mandrel/knitting pin/leather scrap

Step 1
Take one piece of wire and wrap around your mandrel 10 times making sure it's not too tight so that you can remove the wrapped piece from the mandrel and get it onto the leather.

Step 2
Using round nose pliers take the end of the wire and begin turning a coil in the wire. Transfer to flat nose pliers and continue coiling until you have 3 rings.

Step 3
Continue wrapping the wire around the mandrel until the coil is level with it. Press the coil flat against the wrapped wire as shown. Trim the tail end of the wire on the underside with the coil on top.

Step 4
Repeat steps 1 to 3 to create a second piece that mirrors the first.

Step 5
File or sand out any tool marks and use LOS to oxidise both pieces together with a jump ring if you're using a charm. polish back with wire wool, tumble or polish.

Step 6
Thread the bead onto the leather and thread a copper element on either side. Make sure the focal element is centred then gently press the ends of the wires on the underside into the leather to stop any movement, taking care not to mar the leather on top.

Step 7
Use epoxy adhesive to glue the closure fittings onto the leather taking care to line the hook and eye up. Leave to dry.

Step 8 - Optional

Use the jump ring to attach a charm to the eye section of the clasp.

And that's all there is to it...

I actually decided that this particular charm was a little too large and I left it off so this is my finished bracelet...

I've been wearing this since I finished it and it's very comfortable. I really like it as it is but if you want to add a charm there are smaller versions available like these cute little shells.

Supplier list

Mykonos components - The Artisan Bead Compan

6mm leather cord - Cords and Wires

Lampwork Bead - Studio Juls     

Copper wire - Wires.co.uk  

Happy creating!

Three Super Simple Ball Chain Ends

I just love using ball chain, but figuring out how to connect it to other things is a challenge! I found these ball tip connectors at Chain Gallery, where I have been buying 3.2mm antiqued copper-plated ball chain and connectors:

They're super easy to use, but a little limiting in that the holes won't take anything thicker than 18 gauge wire, so if you need a heavier jumpring, you're out of luck. I don't always like the look of them either--sometimes their commercial look doesn't work with what I'm making. I've been thinking of different ways of treating the ends of the ball chain. Melissa Meman did a fabulous tutorial HERE on using double-ended ball headpins to create a gorgeous connector that is an aesthetic element all in itself. The methods below are a little more utilitarian and not nearly as pretty, but they're handy if you need a slimmer connector.

The first method involves using old-fashioned ball chain connectors and a ball headpin.

You're going to insert the headpin into the connector and form a wrapped loop. Here's how:

First, cheat open one of the holes a bit with your pliers, and snap the headpin in as shown. This headpin is made from 18 gauge copper wire (the connector is the size sold to go with the 3.2mm ball chain, and the 18 gauge wire makes a nice, tight fit).

 Squeeze the hole tight again:

Then make your wrapped loop:

I like double-wrapped, hammered loops, so this is how I finished mine:

If you don't like the look of that gaping hole, you can add a bead to your headpin to help fill the space. (I got a little fancy and tried some blue-green patina on my headpin.) The holes on these 3mm copper beads were too small for 18 gauge wire so I used 20 gauge instead--worked fine.

You can also fill the hole by inserting two links of ball chain instead of one:

Unless you get your wrap super tight down on the top of the connector, these will tend to swivel so you won't always see the little beads inside. Sometimes you'll see the back of the connector. In a bracelet or necklace that probably won't matter much, but if you wanted to use this in an earring, you'd need to make sure they didn't swivel around so that the side you want is always facing forward.

Another option is to dress up the ball tip connectors I mentioned at the beginning of the post with a rustic wire wrapped loop. I like this more workman-like look than the plain ball tip connector, and another benefit is that you can use a larger jumpring with it now, or attach it directly to some other element in your piece.

I'd be happy to show you how to do the wrap above in another post--just let me know in your comments if anybody's interested.

Happy New Year!

Keirsten

Lune Artisan Jewelry
The Cerebral Dilettante