These bracelets are so easy to make, and a lot of fun to wear. They’re very similar to these braided fabric bracelets I shared a few months ago, but they take even less time to make.
What you need:
1. Suede Cord (I like the thicker kind)
2. Ribbon Clamps
3. Silver Chain and Clasp
4. Scissors and Jewelry Pliers
What you do:
1. Arrange 3 strands of suede cord inside of a ribbon clamp. Use the pliers to close the clamp onto the ends. Make sure that you closed the clamp all the way across.
2. Braid, keeping the strands flat at all times. In other words, don’t flip or twist the cord as you braid it. When you have gotten to your desired length, cut the ends evenly, and attach a clamp to this end as well.
3. Now attach a clasp (I used a lobster clasp) to one end, and about an inch of chain to the other.
For a little variation, try using 3 different colors for one bracelet. You can also use 6 strands of suede cord (and a wider clamp) for a wider bracelet.
Great idea! I happened to have everything on hand so made one already! I have TONS of this suede lacing — do you have any other projects using it? All I have in the thick stuff…
Those are so pretty! You are very talented!
XOXO
Kelly at Smart! School {House}
http://www.facebook.com/SmartSchoolHouse
These are so cute! And they look store bought with those clasps. I really need to start making some cute jewelry =)
I am going to crown you "queen of all things jewelry" !! These are beautiful! My 13 year old actually did a little gasp when she saw them!!! LOVE!!
So cute, I see these at Target and want to buy them but they cost to much (for me anyway) I love them. Great pics. too. Just liked you on FB Crafty Chic. Winks, jen
Oh I love the purple one! I bought some suede for a candle project but now I want to make a bracelet. Thanks for the tutorial! 🙂
Oh my gosh girl – I've spent the last 15+ mins just looking at different bracelets on your blog! I love the braided suede and fabric ones. Is it hard to attach the chain?
Dana {CraftedNiche.com}
Thanks! I've been on a huge bracelet kick lately 🙂 It's pretty easy to attach the chain. You just use the jewelry pliers to open a link and then close it back. I've found that the very thin chain is much harder to work with.
Hello,
How long is each suede cord?
It depends on how big you want to make the bracelet. Mine were about 6 inches long before I braided them, but it's better to make them a little bit larger than you might need, then trim the extra. Also remember that the silver chain will add to the length as well.
Hi Rachel,
What size ribbon clamp would you recommend for the 3 suede cords?
I used 10mm (3/8 inch) ribbon clamps, and it fit perfectly. Since suede cords are a little different in sizes in widths, you might need a different size, but the 10mm size is a safe bet. It's ok too if the clamps are slightly larger than the cords.
I made one for my 10 year old and his clamp didn't hold well. I clamped it down as far as I could. Do you have any suggestions on how to keep I holding better? It only held for a couple days 🙁
It should definitely hold up longer than that. I've made quite a few and put them through a lot and they hold up really well. Make sure that your clamp is the right width. It should be equal to or larger than the width of your three strands. You don't want the edges sticking out the side. Also make sure that you push the ends of the suede cords all the way to the top of the clamp. Make sure to apply a LOT of pressure with jewelry pliers to the bottom part of the clamp where the little teeth are. Clamp from both sides, and just keep squishing it as much as you can. If you feel like it still isn't holding, I would recommend adding some strong epoxy glue inside of the clamp before you clamp with the pliers. Give it ample time to dry and it should definitely hold strong. Hope something works!