The first of our designs accepted for publication was Janet Palumbo's "Heart-to-Heart Bracelet" which was featured in the Aug/Sept 2013 issue of BEADWORK magazine.
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| Heart-to-Heart bracelet by Janet Palumbo |
For this bracelet, I used Czech farfalle beads, Swarovski crystal pearls, seed beads, and Czech fire-polished beads. I figured out a way to take simple right-angle weave strips of farfalle beads and shape them into curves to create heart shapes, ovals, and circles. Using the peanut-shaped farfalle beads, I was able to achieve a look that is similar to cubic-right-angle weave but without quite so much work! I hope many beaders enjoy making this bracelet!
Kits for this bracelet, in both the Magic Violet and Copper colors, will soon be available on our Etsy shop, 2BeadsRBetterThan1.
The kits available from our Etsy shop include two variations for the clasp used in the Heart-to-Heart bracelet and I would like to share these variations with everyone who might use the published instructions to make this bracelet.
The clasp is a bead-and-loop type, but for security it uses two beads that go through one ring made of farfalle beads, using RAW stitch. Getting the clasp ring just the right size is a little tricky and relies on culling your farfalle beads to choose some of the fatter ones. If that is too fussy for you, here are a couple of alternative ways to finish the clasp.
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| Pass back down through the 4th bead added. |
Variation 1:
Don't change a thing from the published instructions, but add a second loop of 15º beads. To make the second loop, after adding the two clasp fringes, weave half way around the final RAW unit so that the thread exits the farfalle bead in the last RAW unit that is opposite the farfalle bead that has the two fringes for the clasp. Pick up 27 size 15º beads; pass back down through the fourth bead picked up, making a loop of 24 beads. Pick up 3 size 15º beads; pass through the farfalle bead. Repeat the entire thread path twice to reinforce, then secure and trim the thread.
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| Ready to pick up the last 3 size 15º beads. |
To use the clasp, you pass only the 6mm bead on the long fringe through the RAW farfalle ring. Then pass both 6mm beads, one at a time, through the second loop made of 15º beads, starting with the short fringe. Using this variation, you don't need to fuss with the size of the RAW farfalle ring since only one of the 6mm fringes needs to fit through it. But you have the security of the second loop: once you pass BOTH 6mm beads through it, they will be tight enough to not slip back out easily.
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| The completed loop |
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Variation 1: only the long fringe goes through the RAW ring;
both fringes go through the second loop |
Variation 2:
Make the RAW farfalle ring larger than the published instructions and make the two clasp fringes longer. Then, add the second loop of 15º beads (as in variation 1). With this clasp variation, you will pass both of the fringes through the RAW ring and then pass both of the fringes through the second loop.
- First, when you make the RAW farfalle clasp ring, add one or two more RAW units so that when you close up the rings there are 13 (or 14) farfalle beads at the center of the ring. While the two fringes pass snugly through the original 12-unit ring, this 13- or 14-unit ring is large enough to allow both 6mm Czech beads to pass through easily.
- Second, when you make the two clasp fringes, make each of them longer than the published instructions. For fringe 1, string 24A, 1E, and 1A. Complete this fringe as in the magazine, except you will pass back through 21A. For fringe 2, string 32A, 1E, and 1A. Complete as in the magazine, passing back through all but the last 3A before adding the final 3A.
- Finally, weave half way around the final RAW unit of farfalle beads so that your thread exits the farfalle opposite the one to which you just added the fringes. Follow the instructions for Variation 1 above to add the loop of 15º beads.
To use the clasp, pass the long fringe through the RAW ring first and then pass the short fringe through (they should fit through this large ring easily). Then pass the long fringe through the loop of 15ºs, followed by the short fringe. This variation is easier to use and very secure!
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Variation 2: Larger ring and longer fringes make this easy to use and
very secure. Both fringes pass through the ring and the loop. |
