How to Make a Braided Bead & Wire Cuff Bracelet
- 1). Cut three strands of wire about three strands as long as you want your finished braid to be. Gather the ends of the wire so that they are pressed closely together. Secure them in the vise. Place a folded piece of cardboard between the jaws of the vise to protect the ends of the wire from being marked as you clamp them in place.
- 2). Wrap a section of 24-gauge wire closely around the gathered ends of the wire, using nylon-jawed pliers to pull it tight. Make three turns, then cut off the wire as close as possible to the bundle of 16-gauge strands.
- 3). Spread the strands out a little so they are lying side by side. Take the leftmost strand of wire and pass it over the middle strand and under the rightmost strand. Bend the middle strand to the left, so that the rightmost strand becomes the central strand and the leftmost strand is now the rightmost strand. Repeat this three times, making the weave a little looser each time.
- 4). Slip a colored bead over the two outermost strands of wire. Braid as before, keeping the weave loose and straight. As you move each strand to the outside, slip a bead onto it.
- 5). Continue weaving until you have only an inch or so of wire left. Make the last few passes tighter than the previous ones. Finally, gather the ends of the wires and wrap with 24-gauge wire as you did at the beginning. Trim the ends of the strands so that only a small amount stands out above the wire wrap. Fold the very tips of the wires over so they won't scratch you when you wear your cuff.
- 6). Bend the braid around in a circle so the ends almost touch. Slip it onto your wrist to check the fit. The stiffness of the wire will keep it in a circle shape and it should stay on your wrist. You can adjust the width by pulling the strands farther apart to make the cuff broader and shorter, or pushing them closer together to make it longer and narrower.