I remember when technology was not as advanced as it is now — I had to string tiny beads one or two at a time and hope I didn’t move too much in case they popped off whatever I was making. However, now that we are in the 21st century, there is such a thing as a bead spinner. The bead spinner is a simple device (sometimes wooden) that allows you to string tiny beads in mere seconds. Amazing, right? Just think of all the possibilities!
Instead of spending hours on one cuff bracelet, you can make 3-5 in that time. The bead spinner cuts time so you can concentrate on more important aspects of the bracelet, such as color, size, and accents. The Art Bead Scene has a post about making these beautiful cuffs that also includes a video tutorial if you’re interested in how to use the bead spinner to speed up your creation process.
If you’re wanting to make one of these gorgeous cuffs for yourself or a friend, you’ll need to purchase the following items (or locate them in your stash): memory wire (the tutorial recommends 3-5 loops unless you want a smaller or larger size than the original), seed beads (peanut beads and seed beads work the best — try different color combinations such as metallic and earth tones, or royal tones with black), a decorative headpin (optional), a charm (optional — you can purchase pewter, steel, or whatever metal-plated charm suits your color scheme), and a few jump rings. You’ll also need to have pliers (round and chain nose), wire cutters (the tutorial recommends that you use the specific memory wire cutters as the material is different and more difficult to work with if you are using regular wire cutters), and a bead spinner (The Art Bead Scene recommends the Spin-N-Bead).
Once you’ve gathered your tools and materials, you’ll need an area in which to work. First form a loop at the end of the memory wire so that the beads won’t slide off while you’re assembling. Then put your seed beads in the spinner and insert the memory wire. Watch the video beforehand so you know what to expect. This should take just a few minutes. Decide where you want your headpin, bead accents and charm(s) and then attach them to the cuff using the jump rings. And there you are — a fashionable cuff bracelet to wear and show off at parties, work, and during the holidays.
These bracelets would make great gifts for friends during special occasions such as holidays, weddings, and anniversaries. They would also be appreciated by teachers, mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and nieces (of course, there are also men who enjoy cuff bracelet jewelry, particularly younger men — maybe your brother, nephew, or son would enjoy one!).
If you would like to watch the video tutorial for the bead spinner or walk through the instructions for the cuff bracelet, you can find them both on the Art Bead Scene blog. It’s also worth bookmarking The Art Bead Scene (they’ve moved to Art Bead Scene Studio) for their monthly challenges, free project tutorials, and inspirational photography.
