I have many boxes like this full of beads. So fun! These are pressed glass beads in various shapes: leaves, moons, flowers, stars, etc. that I use in my glass garden bracelets.
A glass garden bracelet starts with 12 inches of wire and size 6mm or 8mm seed beads. I use small wooden clothes pins to keep the beads on the wire. A velveteen pad serves as a work surface and I always have a ruler handy to measure my work as I go.
I use 180+inches of thread for a row of fringe. I sew in and out of each bead on the wire, adding seed beads and various shapes for the fringe row. I design as I go, trying to vary the colors and shapes.
I have finished the first row, added a bead cap to hide the crimp that will be added when I add the clasp. I go back into the beads on the wire to tie off my thread using 3 sets of back to back square knots. Now I am starting on the second row of fringe with another 180+inches of thread. It takes patience and skill to keep from getting tangled in the existing fringe.
Now I scrunch the beads to together to make the bracelet full and to get it to about 7 inches in length.
Next I add a strong magnet clasp. The last step is to use thread glue to secure the knots. This dries clear and can not be seen once it dries.
All have been SOLD
Finished products. These have been very popular this summer and the only one I have left is this fall colors version. Time to get busy in my studio!
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