“Harem” Enamelled Bead Bracelet Tutorial

Now that you know how to enamel beads, let’s make an enamelled bead bracelet.

This bracelet is one of the many beautiful projects in Barbara’s Book Torch Fired Enamel Jewelry. You can learn how to get your hands on Barbara’s book at the end of this tutorial.

Without the enameling, let’s say about 2 hours of uninterrupted crafting. Well worth the time to end up with this enamelled bead bracelet, wouldn’t you say?

Tools

• Iron and ironing board or mat
• Scissors
• Spray adhesive
• Round-nose pliers
• Chain-nose pliers
• Wire cutters
• + Anything necessary for torch firing beads (click to see Torch-Firing Enamel Tutorial for list)

Mixed Media Materials

• 1/2″ x 7″ (6mm x 1778cm ) foam tube
• 1/4 yard (0.23m) woven fabric
• Ribbon and fiber strands

Beads and Findings

• 19-gauge annealed steel wire
• 22-gauge sterling wire
• assorted manufactured beads and
  flower bead caps
• assorted rhinestone dangles
• eight 11 mm solid jump rings
• four 12mm corrugated iron beads
• one copper-plated lobster clasp
• two 17mm iron flower bead caps

Enamels

• Clover, opaque (1715)
• Lime Yellow, transparent (2230)
• Pumpkin, opaque (1850)
• Turquoise, transparent (2435)
• White, opaque (1055)

Step 1: Prepare Fabric for Cutting Bias Strips

The enamelled bead bracelet base begins by establishing the straight of grain by using scissors to place a snip into the selvedge edge of woven fabric, about 1″ (2.54cm) from the cut edge.

(The selvage edges arethe two finished edges of the fabric as it comes from the factory.)

Tear the fabric at the snip.

To ensure that your enamelled bead bracelet bends nicely (and the fabric doesn’t bunch up strangely) we need to cut the fabric on the bias.

Establish the bias grain by placing the fabric on a flat surface. Pick up one corner of the fabric and bring the end diagonally across the fabric so that one torn edge of the fabric will rest on top of one selvedge edge of the fabric.

Press the fold with an iron.

Step 2: Cut a Bias Strip

Measure and mark 1″ (2,54cm) from the cut edge along the length of the fabric.

Cut a 15″ (38.1cm) bias strip.

Step 3: Make Your Base With Foam and The Bias Strip

Spray adhesive on a 1/4″ x 7″ (6mm x 17.78 cm) piece of foam tubing.

Starting at one end and working across, wrap the bias strip around the foam.

Step 4: Enamel Beads and Bead Caps

Your enamelled bead bracelet needs some enamelled beads!

Enamel four 12mm corrugated beads: one in White with Lime Yellow on top, one in White with Turquoise on top, one in Pumpkin and one in Clover (see Torch-Firing Bead Article). Enamel two 17mm flower bead caps in Pumpkin and Clover.

Step 5: Thread Your Dangle Components

Thread a 4″ (10.16cm) segment of 22-gauge sterling silver wire through a solid jump ring and make a wrapped loop.

Thread a bead cap, an enamel bead and another bead cap onto the wire.

Step 6: Attach Your Rhinestone Dangles

Make a wrapped loop flush against the bead cap, but before finishing it, attach a small rhinestone dangle link. Wrap the loop with the excess wire. Create six dangles.

You can choose to add different enamel and manufactured findings to the dangles as desired. Go wild!

Step 7: Wrap Some Fiber Embellishments

Wrap a bundle of ribbon and fiber strands around the tubing, starting 1″ (2.54cm) from the end. Tie the ends in overhand knots to secure.

Step 8: String a Dangle

Slide a dangle onto the bracelet. Wrap another ribbon and fiber bundle after the first dangle to keep it from sliding on the bracelet. Continue sliding on dangles and wrapping bundles on the bracelet, stopping 1″ (2.54cm) from the end and ending with a ribbon and fiber bundle.

Repeat Steps 5 through 8 with remaining beads to make your enamelled bead bracelet look full and jaunty.

Step 9: Prepare the Ends

Pierce the end of the foam bracelet with 3″ (7.62cm) of 19-gauge annealed steel wire. Fold the ends up, keeping one end longer than the other. Wrap the shorter wire end around the longer wire end.

Step 10: Add a Bead Cap to An End

Thread an enamel bead cap onto the wire.

Trim the excess wire and make a simple loop flush against the bead cap.

Attach an 11mm solid jump ring to the loop. (See opening and closing jump rings).

Step 11: Finish the Other End

Repeat steps 9 and 10 on the other side of the bracelet, but attach a lobster clasp before closing the simple loop. Let’s call this enamelled bead bracelet finished!

The Finished Enamelled Bead Bracelet

Where to Get Torch-Fired Enamel Jewelry: A Workshop of Painting With Fire

Barbara Lewis is the author of Torch-Fired Enamel Jewelry: A Workshop of Painting With Fire.

If you enjoyed this project, you’ll love the rest of the projects in her book.

You can get a copy at ShopMixedMedia.com, Amazon.com, or at your local bookstore.

Get your copy of Torch-Fired Enamel Jewelry: A Workshop of Painting With Fire now.

Here is some more eye candy from the book (click the link to see larger images courtesy of Amazon.com):