Jungle Boogie Bracelet
by Margot Potter for Jewel School
I showed this bracelet project live on Jewelry Television's Jewel School broadcast on November 21st. Here’s the tutorial so you can make one for yourself! (You can get everything you need to make this bracelet on JTV.com.)
This saucy little number is sure to turn heads and is a breeze to throw together. I’m a fan of jewelry with movement and this has a kinetic appeal. I’ve combined earthy colors in a variety of gemstones with yummy animal print mother of pearl beads. The wire coils add just the right touch of whimsy.
Create Your Own Jungle Boogie Bracelet
Materials
JLWKIT1632 Nugget Set (We’re Using (12) Red Agate and (8) Green Opal)
JLWKIT1486 (8) 5mm and (13) 12mm Black Agate Beads
JLWKIT1620 Mother of Pearl rectangle beads (We’re using (6) leopard and (6) zebra)
JLW1305A (8) labradorite nuggets
33 JLW1792G Set of 24 Ball Tipped Head Pins
JSWR52S 20 Gauge German Style Wire
JLW600 Sterling Silver Size 2 Crimp Tubes Set of 10
JSWR83B .018 49 Strand Beadalon Wire
Tools
JLW1588A Wire Twister and Jump Ring Maker Set
PLIER21 Crimp Tool
PLIER22 Chain Nose Pliers
PLIER26 Round Nose Pliers
PLIER25 Flush Cutters
Instructions
1. Use the 8mm dowel. Thread one end of your 20 gauge wire into the jump ring maker tool. I work from the coil. Wrap the wire around the dowel tightly about three times and then insert your pointer finger into the opening of the tool, grasp the wire tail tightly between the thumb and pointer finger on your other hand and coil the wire up the dowel tightly without overlapping.
2. Use flush cutters to remove your wire coil. Gently pull the coil apart with your fingers by grasping at both ends and tugging until coils open up evenly.
3. Cut individual coils working to every fifth coil, so each coil you remove should have five loops. Use the tip of your round nose pliers to create a small loop in one end of the coil.
4. Use the larger part of the jaw of your round nose pliers to create a larger loop in the opposite end of your coil, turn this loop up to create a bail for your coil. Repeat making a total of 12 coils. Make sure the loops are secured so they won’t slip off of your core wire when strung.
5. Use the ball tipped head pins to create coiled dangles with the 8mm black agate rounds, red agate nuggets, green opal nuggets and labradorite nuggets.
6. Use the German style wire to make beaded dangles with the 12mm black agate rounds. You will need 7 of these. Thread a 2” wire segment into the bead. Use round nose pliers to make a tiny loop in one end. Use round nose pliers to coil the top of the wire to make a dangle. Repeat this process with the MOP rectangles using 3” wire segments.
7. Make a hook and eye clasp using round nose pliers. Cut off a .75” segment of 20 gauge wire and loop one end. Turn the wire around and make a loop on the other end creating a figure eight. Use chain nose pliers to secure the loops closed. The loops should be the same size, cut off any excess wire with flush cutters.
8. To create the hook cut off a 2.5” segment of wire. Use round nose pliers to bend a small loop in one end of the wire. Bend wire over a 15mm dowel (I used a lip gloss container; necessity is the mother of invention!) Create a small loop in the wire tail, grasp in the jaws of your chain nose pliers and loop into a coil working around until the top of the loop is equidistant to the loop on the other end of the hook. Secure coil so it will not slide off of the wire using chain nose pliers. The finished hook should be 1” in length.
9. Attach a 7” segment of Beadalon wire to the hook end of your clasp using a crimp bead. Cut off excess wire tail flush to the bottom of the crimped tube. (Always fill your beads with wire, the wire shouldn’t fit inside of the smallest bead or your wire is too thin for maximum durability.)
10. Slide the beads and coils on the wire in the following order: 6mm black agate dangle, red agate dangle, labradorite dangle, coil, black agate round, MOP Leopard, coil, green opal dangle , red agate dangle, 5mm black agate round…this pattern repeats six times. Finish the necklace with a seventh segment that ends with a green opal dangle followed by a 5mm black agate round.
11. Attach the wire to the clasp ‘eye’ using a crimp tube. Round the bracelet before you finish creating ‘play’ between the beads and preventing the bracelet from being too stiff.
