A Blue Fringe Treasury

Thank you so much to randomcreative for including me in her treasury of blue fringe bracelets.




It was an honor to be showcased along with all these other amazing jewelry artists.

Fringe Bracelet Tutorial

Here is a tutorial on how to make a fringe bracelet, also known as a cha-cha bracelet.
I hope these instructions are clear as I have never written a tutorial before.

Supplies: Beading wire such as Beadalon or Softflex
Beading thread such as Nymo or Fireline
Size 6 seed beads
Various size and shapes of beads in color/colors of your choice
Size 11 or 15 seed beads in complimentary color
Crimps
Clasp
Beading needle

Cut a length of beading wire long enough to add a clasp at each end. Since this is a hefty bracelet make sure that your finished size is about 1 inch longer than your wrist size. For example, my finished bracelet measures 8¾ inches, but fits well on a 7 inch wrist.

Let me see if I can explain this part clearly. You are going to string the size 6 seed beads on the beading wire like you are making a bracelet. You will add one part of your clasp to each end and crimp as usual. The only difference is that you want to have about an inch of the wire not covered by beads when you are done adding the clasp and crimping. You will need room between the beads to add the fringe.


Attach your beading thread to one end of the wire using a square knot with a dot of glue. Needle under the first seed bead. Pick up a combination of 2 or 3 beads ending with an 11 or 15 seed bead. Go back down through the beads you have just strung on, but do not go through the seed bead again. Needle under the next size 6 seed bead and continue to the end.

At the end make a knot and come back through all the size 6 seed beads again, adding beads between each as you go. When you get back to the other end you can either knot and end there or know and turn around and add fringes of beads down the length of the bracelet again depending on the fullness that you want. The bracelet in the photo has 3 fringes between each seed bead.

I apologize that I don’t have any photos showing the steps. Next time I make one I will definitely take some as I go and post them here.

Please feel free to email me if you need clarification on anything at maryann726@gmail.com

Fringe Bracelet

I’m going to be listing this bracelet in my shop later today. It has a seed bead base strung on beading wire. Then I wove beads in between each of the seed beads working my way down one end of the bracelet and then turning around and working my way back up. I then went down the length of the bracelet one more time for a total of 3 passes. If you want a bracelet that is not as dense you just don’t make so many passes down the bracelet.

I learned this technique on Beadwork on the forums. Last year it was discussed many times sometimes as Fringe Bracelet, sometimes as Cha-Cha Bracelet and sometimes as Urchin Bracelet.

My husband and sons can’t believe that I’m going to list this bracelet. They say it too big and beady. Men, what do they know? I made one of these in brown last year for a friend after she saw one and she loved it. I would love opinions from women, after all, they are who I designed it for!