Braided Band Bracelet

by Deborah Kelly

Category: Contemporary
Technique(s): Weaving
Skill Level: Beginner

This bracelet is a bit of a combination of open weaving and classic wrapping. Use a favorite round stone for the focal.

Materials

18 Gauge Round Dead Soft Copper Wire

H11-18D

Lesson Quantity: 10.00 feet
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 10FT
Price: $5.65
Gold Club Price: $4.24

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24 Gauge Round Silver Plated Orange Copper Craft Wire - 30 ft

H17-C24-30FT

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 feet
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $6.20
Gold Club Price: $4.65

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Tools

Round Nose Wire Pliers

G2-507

G2-507
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $32.95
Gold Club Price: $24.71

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Precision Flat Nose Pliers

G2-4

G2-4
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $6.37
Gold Club Price: $4.78

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C.H.P Milano Italian Flush Cutter, 5 1/2 Inches

PLR-487.00

PLR-487.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $16.97
Gold Club Price: $12.73

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Instructions

Step 1

Cut the 18-gauge wire into eight pieces, each 15" long. On one end of the 24-gauge wire, make a small hook with flat-nose pliers. Hook should be about 1/8th of an inch.

Deborah Kelly's Braided Band Bracelet - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Weaving, Wire Weaving, Weaving Wire, braided band bracelet

Step 2

Straighten the 18-gauge wires. Stack four 18-gauge wires together in a single layer. Put the hook from the 24-gauge wire around the center of the 18 gauge wires, making sure the hook goes over at least 2 of the wires in the stack.

Step 3

Wrap the 24-gauge wire around the 18-gauge wire stack 4 times. Make sure the 18-gauge wires stay next to each other and do not bunch up. Gently squeeze the wrap with pliers.

Step 4

Cut off the 24-gauge wire just long enough to go over 2 or 3 of the 18-gauge wires on the same side the other end of the 24-gauge wire is on. Gently squeeze with pliers to soft set it in place.

Step 5

Put another wrap like the first one about 1 ½ inches away with the ends of the 24-gauge wire on the opposite side as the first wrap.

Step 6

Put a third wrap on the other side of the first wrap, about 1 ½ inches away, again with the ends of the 24-gauge wire on the opposite side of the 18-gauge wire as the first wrap. Do not crimp the wraps down hard so they can still move into place later on. Wrap the other four 18-gauge wires like the first 4 just done.

Step 7

Shape one bundle of wire around half the stone with the middle wrap positioned at the center of the wrap around the stone, and the raw ends of the 24-gauge wire wrap facing the stone.

Step 8

Take the other bundle and shape it around the other side of the stone. Make sure the wrap raw ends are facing the stone.

Step 9

Connect the two sides together with another snug 4x wrap with the 24-gauge wire. Bend the two sides apart from one another at the end of the wrap and cut the end of the 24-gauge wraps. Set in place by squeezing with pliers.

Step 10

Repeat on the other side.

Step 11

Place stone in the circle made for it. On the back side bend the top wire (while looking at it from the back) as shown, to hold the stone in place, between all the wraps.

Step 12

Flip back to the front. Gently bend up one wire in one quadrant to hold in the stone. Bend the other 2 wires to follow the first wire bent.

Step 13

Repeat in the other 3 quadrants starting with the quadrant diagonally across from the one already done.

Step 14

The bends on the front of the stone do not have to be big bends, just big enough to hold the stone in.

Step 15

On one side of the stone, slide the wraps around the bundles of 18-gauge wires to about ¼ inch from where the wrap is holding the wire bundles together by the stone.

Take pliers and gently bend the bundles of wire flat with the stone and so the ends of the wraps are on the same side as the back of the stone.

Repeat on the other side.

Step 16

Pick a side of the stone to start on.

Take the inside wire from the left side and bend it to the right side in an gentle arc.

Step 17

Take the inside wire from the right side and cross it over to the left side over the first wire bent.

Step 18

Take the next wire from the left side and bend it to the right side going over the wire from the left to the center

Step 19

Move the next wire on the right side to the middle going over the 2 wires from the left side.

Step 20

Continue alternating sides to cross the wire over to the middle till all wires have been woven once.

Step 21

Next take the outside left most wire and move it into the center.

Step 22

Next take the rightmost wire and move to the center. Repeat alternating sides of the braid.

Step 23

Continue the braid till it is about ½ inch shorter than the desired band length on the outside of the braid.

Step 24

Instead of taking the next wire to the middle and continuing the braid, bend it across the front of the braid. Wrap the wire around the braid 3 times, trying to keep the braid flat and not letting it bunch up. Cut the wire off and crimp down on the back side of the band.

Step 25

Take the outermost wire on one side and gently bend around and over to the band. Take it over the band then around the back side of the band, then back around to the front of the band. Cut the wire off about an inch from where it comes around the band and then spiral the end of the wire.

Step 26

Take the outermost wire on the other side gently bend to the outside and back towards the band. Take the wire behind the band and then to the front of the band again. Cut off the wire about 1 inch from where it comes around to the front of the band and spiral the end. Arrange attractively with the other wire around the band.

Step 27

Bend the rest of the wires to the back side of the band. Cut off about ¼ inch long and crimp down around the first wire wrapped around the band. Check for sharp edges and crimp them smooth.

Step 28

Do the other side of the band like the first side.

Step 29

Bend the band to fit around your wrist. Enjoy your new bracelet!

Reviews

Deborah Kelly

Deborah got into wire work about 4 years ago and is now a snow bird who spends the winter in Quartzsite, Arizona. She does volunteer work while there and teaches 'Creative Wire Wrap' at the "Quartzsite Roadrunners, Gem & Mineral Club." In the summer she travels the Western US with her family and they make and give away free jewelry with their own private philanthropic endeavor that they call The Free Jewelry Project.