Midnight Sky Cuff Bracelet – bead embroidery tutorial

Article from guest blogger and beader Zuzi Hake for Erika Sandor – The Storytelling Jeweller.

Holiday season is usually time when I make luxurious and glam jewelry. It goes easily if you’re having material to love and create from. I chose very special leather finish to play the main part of this bracelet that reminds me of night sky full of stars with all the sparkle. It really doesn’t need rich decoration as it makes all the magic. This bracelet is special piece to shine on your wrist everytime you wear it!

I have a very tiny wrist, but love to wear bracelets. Metal cuffs doesn’t really work for me, but there is nothing wrong to use it if it’s your personal preference. I decided to use leather and ultra suede instead of base, supported it with cardboard paper in the middle.

What will you need to make this bracelet?

Material list

• leather, (I used Shiny Metallic Blue)
• Ultra Suede,
• 27mm round cabochon, (I used Jet)
• 3mm firepolished beads, (I used Saturated Metallic Ceylon Yellow)
• 2.1mm Preciosa rhinestone cupchain,
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads, (I used Steel no. 21)
• 15/0 Miyuki round seed beads
• Clasp (you can use also metal bracelet base)

Tools

• 0.12 mm Fireline,
• beading needle,
• glue (I used E-6000 or F-6000),
• bead mat,
• sharp scissors,
• ruler,
• cardboard paper. (I used lasagne box)

Useful links and tutorials:

• Bezeling cabochons with peyote – Forget-me-not tutorial
• Backstitch, Attaching Preciosa rhinestone cupchain and Beaded edge – bead embroidery tutorials by Erika

How to make the bracelet?

Tutorial

1. 1. Bezel the 27mm round stone with peyote stitch. I used 66 pieces of 11/0 delica beads (68 is also possible, if you have different coating). I beaded 2 rows of delicas, then 2 rows of 15/0 seed beads to create the “cup” for stone. I continued with beading back of the bezel with 4 more delica rows and 3 rows of 15/0.
   2. Draw your bracelet base to leather and cardboard, mark the centre on both. Leather has metallic crinkle effect so I made my lines on the back of it. 
   3. I cut the little cross on my leather to mark the centre, so I could place bezeled stone correctly in the middle and sew it on the leather.
   4. I used Delica beads in 5th row to sew through and attach the bezel to leather. Continue sewing and tie double know when you finish.
   5. Decorate the bezel with 3mm firepolished beads with using backstitch. Pick new beads in pairs and then sew through them.
   6. Attach Preciosa rhinestone cupchain. Stich goes always between 2 rhinestones. Don’t cut the chain in advance, lenght you use depends from thread tension, space between rhinestones, angle you make when sewing, etc. Wait until the end of this step and then make a cut.
   7. If needed, use the glue for last and first of the rhinestones so they remain fixed.
   8. Glue together leather, cardboard paper (or other filling) and the Ultra Suede backing. Exact lines at cardboard will fit into the leather. I kept Ultra Suede a bit larger on sides since I formed my cuff with hands, therefore I could comfortably cut the right size after the glue dried.
   9. Cut the backing.
   10. Connect all 3 layers by making edge with simple delica row. It starts with 2 beads, you stich back through the second bead and continue adding single bead until the very end. (See Traveller series for more details about edges.)
   11. Find the middle of the bracelet on side. It was bead no. 14 and 15 for me at both ends. I decided to use O+T clasp, but you can use any that you like or prefer more than this. I added 5pcs of 15/0 seed beads, repeated the thread path 2-3 times and continued through delicas on the edge for making knot and hiding the fireline.
   12. Enjoy your new bracelet and share it with us in Storytelling Beading Club!