Stretchy Beaded Bracelets
By Kiki Clark

Yeah, you remember these. They made a HUGE debut a few years ago and have since become a fashion standard, like Capri pants and leopard-skin prints. But while I personally can’t whip up a pair of leopard-patterned Capris in twenty minutes (nor would I want to), I can make one of these baubles in two or three commercial breaks.

What you need:

Beads
Elastic line
Scissors
Cylinder crimp beads
A pair of pliers (needle flatnose is best)

How to do it:

Before cutting, wrap the elastic line around your wrist and take a measurement. I’d suggest adding two to three inches to that measurement, for ease of stringing and handling. If you’re going to use large beads (say, 5 mm), add another inch. If you want your bracelet to fit loosely and slide onto your hand a little, that might add a half inch to an inch. There’s a lot of slop here, and you’d have to make it really big to have it slide off. Be generous.

Having decided on a length, take a deep breath and cut it. Tie a double knot (tie once, tie again) about a quarter-inch from the end of your cut cord. This will keep the beads from sliding off. You really don’t want that to happen. Check occasionally, to make sure the knots aren’t wriggling loose.

Slide your crimp bead on first, followed by all your pretty stuff! If you’re feeling really organized, you can fold a piece of paper tightly, then open it out and lay your beads in the crease to make a certain pattern. You can also mark the length of your wrist circumference on this paper. That helps if you’re doing some kind of design with a center piece on it.

Once all your beads are strung, bring the two ends together. Poke your non-knotted end through the crimp bead in the opposite direction of the other cord. The elastic line should make a sort of X, with the crimp bead in the center.

Pick it up by the free ends, cinch everything together, and crimp the bead with your pliers. Hold the handles far back and get good leverage. You don’t want to mostly crimp it and then have it fall apart. On the other hand, don’t crush it so utterly that it effectively cuts through the line.

Trim off your free ends, being careful not to nick the rest of the line, and you’re done!


Helpful Tips!

Color Choice: You’re safest with three colors or less. Clear is always a good option for one of your choices. It picks up the most light and gives your bracelet a nice sparkle.

Crimp Beads: I can’t recommend ball-shaped crimp beads. They’re cheaper, but they often have a sharp edge that damages the elastic line. As a result, when you stretch it to put the bracelet on, the line snaps and the whole thing flies apart -- which is exactly what happened with that red and amber bracelet up there. Now I remember why I stopped using ball crimps. I have put them in the trash, the evil things.

Your crimp bead can substitute for one of the other beads in a pattern. I often use silvery beads. At the end, I let a silver crimp substitute for one of the silver beads. You can also make an “illusion” type bracelet by putting just a few stunning beads on your clear line, spaced at regular intervals, with a crimp bead on either side to keep them in place.

Elastic Line: Last time I bought mine, they were out of clear so I bought the milky stuff. Clear line is much nicer. Watch out for thick and thin spots on cheaper line. If you find a thick spot, do yourself a favor and don’t let it be the end you’re trying to jimmy little beads onto. Cheaper line also doesn’t wear as well, so if you want your bracelet to last a long time and take heavy use, or if you’re using expensive beads, don’t go too cheap on your line.

Beads: Don’t stop with beads. You can also use little charms (put on a jump ring so they’re oriented properly) and buttons. Almost anything with a hole.

Getting the beads on: If it’s a big/long bead, like the green glass tubes up there, it’s easiest to pick it up and push the line through. But if they’re little, bitty beads, leave them on your flat surface and poke the line at them to get them on. If they’re lying with their holes up, you can still push the line at the hole and they’ll tip over nicely. With the bead on the tip of the line, lift your line and push the bead where you want it.

Seed beads that come strung are often on such thin threads that you can push the line through the beads while they’re still strung. This is a real benefit if you’re doing a design where you have three or more of the same color in a row. Leaving the beads on a flat surface, thread the line through. Slide the desired number of beads up the elastic line and then pull the thread out.

Measurements: Most beads fit most lines. But I’d hate for you to buy .5 mm elastic line and then spend big bucks on lovely beads with a smaller diameter hole. So be aware.

The more bracelets, the merrier: Especially with bracelets that use little beads. Keep your colors consistent, vary your patterns or bead shapes, and make a coordinated set of five or so to wear together.

Orientation: See the amber-colored, lozenge-shaped beads up there? I could have made them lie flat on the skin. You can change the direction a large, flat bead lies by threading your cord through, then threading a seed bead on, then threading the line over the seed bead and back through the large bead. In effect, the seed bead acts as a button. You really want clear line in this case, because it’s going to show. This technique is a tremendous amount of work, and the hole has to be big enough, but it’s a pretty effect.

Spilling: Like death and taxes, it’s gonna happen. Expect it and you won’t be so angry. You can work over a baking sheet with an edge, if you like. Just don’t bead on your computer desk unless you slide the keyboard underneath first. Trying to get seed beads out from behind your keys is not a fun proposition.



 

back to the top

What to Eat When You Can't Eat Anything
By Dani Collins

As someone who loves food, but whose allergies don't allow a wide variety of ingredients, I'm regularly searching for flavorful things to eat when I'm not allowed to eat anything. Here are a few of my favorites for the summer months:

Guacamole
(Substitute for salad dressing or chip dip if you can't have vinegar, cheese or other dairy products.)

Note: The best way to pick an avocado is when it is green, then let it ripen at home, either over a few days on the windowsill or overnight in a paper bag.

One avocado will make approximately 1/2 cup of guacamole. Cut a line around the fruit, starting at the stem, then twist apart the halves. The pit will remain in one half. Keep the pit to stir into the guacamole if you're going to store it because it helps keep it from turning brown. Double/triple the recipe as required.

Scoop the meat into a bowl and mash it with a fork. Stir in:

1 tablespoon lemon
1-2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion salt (use chopped fresh onion if you can't have salt)

Optional:
Chopped cilantro
Chopped hot peppers, like jalapeno

Fresh guacamole is best, but you can store it overnight in a sealed container.


Hummus
(Substitute for salad dressing or chip dip if you can't have vinegar, cheese or other dairy products. Use it as a spread like mayonnaise or in place of cheese in a sandwich.)

In a blender:

1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped parsley (substitute other herbs for different flavors)
Pinch of salt (if allowed)

Optional:
1-2 cloves of garlic

Store in a covered container in the fridge for 2-3 days, or freeze small portions.


Quinoa Taboul

Can't have a pasta salad because you can't have wheat? Most people who can't have wheat can have the grain quinoa. Say, "Keen-wah."

Find it in the health-food section of your grocery store and steam it like rice: 1 cup of quinoa to two cups of water. It's best if you rinse it first; otherwise, it may have a slight bitter taste. It cooks fast, approximately 20 minutes after boiling. Watch for the little rings to appear around the grain.

Cool and fluff with a fork. For 1 cup of uncooked quinoa, you will add to the cooked and cooled quinoa:

1/2 cup olive oil (Approximately. You want it to lightly coat the grain.)
Juice from one lemon
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt - coarse is better, skip if you're not allowed
1-2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves

Optional:
Chopped tomato
Chopped green pepper

Gently toss and chill thoroughly before serving.

Have a great summer!

 

To read last month's Stuff to Make article, click here

back to the top