Project Idea: Birthstone Tube Bead Bracelet

A variation of the Harvest Color Bracelet

Supply List -
2 Silver Plate Curved beads, 30mm, 06-51-FM2776
7 Austrian Crystal beads, 8mm, 04-51-FM1308 or choice (see suggested birthstone colors)
10 Round Silver Plate Beads, 4mm, 06-51-FM1474
1 Silver Plate Toggle Clasp, 14mm, 03-51-RT0143
2-4 Plated Oval Jumprings, 03-51-FM3606
2 Silver Plate Wire Guardian, 03-51-RT0503 (opt'l)

choice beading wire and crimp beads

Tools: Bead Stopper 03-51-RT4406 (or tape), flat nose pliers, crimping pliers (optional), G-S Hypo Cement 03-51-FM1583 (optional)

All the supplies on the list above can be purchased in-store at Bead Jam or on our On-line store.

Follow link for our store site. Do a search for the exact stock number (copy/paste works well) or to see all choices, we suggest using all or part of each bold phrase above to search for the particular supply.

Birthstone Tube Bead Bracelet

An intermediate project: To make this project, you should have basic experience with beading-wire and crimp beads.

To begin, use your wire cutters to cut about 12" of beading wire. Next, add a Bead Stopper to the end of your wire (or secure with a piece of tape), leaving about 2" of wire in reserve.

Start by stringing a 4mm silver plate bead, an 8mm Austrian crystal (we used suggested birthstone colors and two clear crystals on the ends), another 4mm, one more Austrain crystal, and then one more 4mm bead. Then add a tube bead. Now alternate 4mm round and 8mm Austrian crystals, to create a row of three Austrian crystals (see photo).

Add one more tube bead, then alternate 4mm silver plate beads with 8mm crystals, to finish with a row of two crystals. Be sure that a 4mm silver plate bead is at both ends of the tube beads to keep the tubes stationary. (Optional: if more length is needed, add one or two more 4mm silver plate beads on each end of bracelet.)

Once all the beads are in place, put a crimp bead on the wire end, then run through a jump ring, and back through the crimp bead. (Optional: feed beading wire through a Wire Guardian before going back through crimp bead.) Use a flat nose or crimping plier to flatten the crimp bead. Remove Bead Stopper (or tape), and add a crimp bead to that end, repeating above steps to have both ends of the bracelet secure. If desired, add a dot of G-S Adhesive or other jeweler's glue to the crimped beads. Trim extra beading wire as needed.

To finish, gently twist open a jump ring on one end of your bracelet, then add the ring portion of clasp, and twist the jump ring closed. To create the linked portion on the opposite end, twist open and attach one or two more jump rings, then add the bar end of the clasp to the bracelet.

Design and instructions copyright of Bead Jam LLC; creation of projects is for personal or gift use only. Feel free to print and distribute projects as long as credit is given to www.beadjam.com