BRIDESMAID'S CRYSTAL CUFF

(©2007 Deborah Roberti)

MATERIALS (for a 7-inch bracelet, not including clasp)
• 4 yards waxed Nymo or C-Lon thread, size D, or 6 lb. FireLine
• About 350 size 11/0 seed beads
• About 46 size 4mm fire-polished beads
• About 56 size 4mm glass pearls
• About 56 size 4mm bicone crystals
• About 28 size 4mm round beads (or 5mm melon beads also work)
• clasp
NOTE: Although I specify that you use fire-polished beads, glass pearls, bicone crystals and round beads in the instructions and diagrams, you can actually used any 4mm bead type.

NOTE: Bead colors and coatings (and even bead types!) seem to be disappearing at a rate that I can no longer keep up with. I try to find substitutes when I can but "discontinued" seems to be the norm these days.

• About 350 size 11/0 Delica beads: Miyuki Delica #34 Lt. Gold Plated
• About 46 size 4mm fire-polished beads: Czech Crystal Gold
• About 56 size 4mm glass pearls: Swarovski Bright Gold glass pearls
• About 56 size 4mm bicone crystals: Swarovski Crystal Golden Shadow
• About 28 size 4mm round beads: Swarovski Light Rose

Step 1: Thread your needle with 4 yards of Nymo, C-Lon or Fireline (or start with a length that you feel comfortable with and add more later).

String a seed bead, a fire-polished bead, a seed bead, a glass pearl, a seed bead, a bicone crystal, a seed bead and a glass pearl.

Leaving about a 12-inch tail for attaching one end of the clasp, tie these beads in a circle with a double knot:

Step 2: Go back around through the glass pearl, the seed bead and the bicone crystal that you strung in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 3: String a seed bead, a round bead, a seed bead, a bicone crystal, a seed bead, a round bead and a seed bead.

Go around and up through the bicone crystal that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 4: Continue back through the seed bead, the round bead, the seed bead and down through the bicone crystal that you strung in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 5: String a seed bead, a glass pearl, a seed bead, a fire-polished bead, a seed bead, a glass pearl and a seed bead.

Go around and back down through the bicone crystal that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 6: Continue back through the seed bead, the glass pearl, the seed bead, the fire-polished bead, the seed bead and the glass pearl that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

You’ve just finished Row 1.

Step 7: To start Row 2, string a seed bead, a bicone crystal, a seed bead, a glass pearl, a seed bead, a fire-polished bead and a seed bead.

Go around and back across through the glass pearl that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 8: Continue back up through the seed bead and the bicone crystal that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 9: String a seed bead, a round bead, a seed bead, a bicone crystal and a seed bead.
Go around and through the middle round bead in Row 1 (highlighted in RED):

Step 10: String a seed bead. Go up through the bicone crystal highlighted in RED:

Step 11: Go back through the seed bead, the round bead, the seed bead and the bicone crystal (highlighted in RED) that you added in Step 9:

Step 12: String a seed bead. Go across through the top left glass pearl (highlighted in RED):

Step 13: String a seed bead, a fire-polished bead, a seed bead, a glass pearl and a seed bead.
Go around and down through the bicone crystal, the seed bead and the glass pearl that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 14: To finish Row 2, continue back up through the seed bead, the fire-polished bead, the seed bead and the glass pearl that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 15: To start Row 3, string a seed bead, a bicone crystal, a seed bead, a glass pearl, a seed bead, a fire-polished bead and a seed bead.

Go around and back across through the glass pearl that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 16: Continue back up through the seed bead and the bicone crystal that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 17: String a seed bead, a round bead, a seed bead, a bicone crystal and a seed bead.
Go around and across through the round bead in Row 2 (highlighted in RED):

Step 18: String a seed bead. Go up through the bicone crystal highlighted in RED:

Step 19: Continue back around through the seed bead, the round bead, the seed bead and the bicone crystal (all highlighted below in RED):

Step 20: String a seed bead. Go across through the top right glass pearl in Row 2 (highlighted in RED):

Step 21: String a seed bead, a fire-polished bead, a seed bead, a glass pearl and a seed bead.
Go around and back down through the top right bicone crystal, the seed bead and across through the glass pearl that you exited at the end of the last step (all highlighted in RED):

Step 22: To finish Row 3, continue back up through the seed bead, the fire-polished bead, the seed bead and the glass pearl you strung in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 23: Repeat Steps 7-22 until your bracelet is the length you want it, minus about a half-inch and the length of your clasp:

Step 24: To attach one end of your clasp, circle around through the beads highlighted in RED and exit from the right side of the top-center round bead:

Step 25: String a seed bead, a bicone crystal, two seed beads, a bicone crystal and a seed bead. Go around and back across through the round bead that you exited at the end of the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 26: Go back around through the beads that you added in the last step (highlighted in RED):

Step 27: Go back up through the seed bead, the bicone crystal and the seed bead highlighted in RED:

Step 28: String a seed bead, go through one end of the clasp and back through the seed bead that you just strung. Continue back around through the seed bead, the bicone crystal, the seed bead and the round bead highlighted in RED:

Step 29: Go back around through the beads highlighted in RED and the clasp several times:

Weave your way back into the bracelet, knot in several places and then cut your thread.

Step 30: To attach the clasp to the other end of the bracelet, thread your needle with the tail thread from Step 1. Weave around through the beads highlighted in RED and exit from the right side of the top-center round bead:

Repeat Steps 25-29.

You can find many more color combinations at the RedPandaBeads.com Gallery of Color Suggestions! For the exact beads used in the photo below, click here to go to the RedPandaBeads.com Gallery of Color Suggestions and scroll down.