African Helix Bracelet
Designed by: Sara Oehler
Skill Level: Intermediate

Materials:

Tools:

 

Instructions:

  1. Use a long, comfortable length of wire to string 1 bugle bead and 1 seed bead, four times. Pass back through all beads again to form a ring, leaving a 6" tail, and exiting a seed bead. Place a Bead Stopper on the tail to keep the ring from slipping.

  2. String 1 bugle bead and 1 seed bead and pass through the next seed bead in the ring. Repeat twice. Repeat again, passing through the next seed bead, bugle bead, and seed bead in the ring to "step up" to the next level.

  3. Repeat Step 2 for the length of the bracelet, adding beading wire when there is about 3" of wire remaining and the wire is exiting the first seed bead and the bugle bead in a step up section. To add wire, make sure to string 1 crimp tube. Cut a new length of wire and pass it through the crimp tube, so that the tail end of the new wire is the same direction as the tail end of the previous wire. Push the crimp tube down as close to the beads as possible, and crimp. Cut the tail ends of the wires. Twist the crimp tube around so that it is in the middle of the African helix tube. Pass the end of the new wire through the bugle bead and seed bead. Resume repeating Step 2.

  4. When the African helix tube is long enough to loosely wrap around your wrist, place a Bead Stopper on the wire. Remove the Bead Stopper from the other end of the bracelet. Carefully remove the first four bugle beads strung. Bend the tube around so that the two ends touch. Adjust by twisting so that the seed beads of both ends match up. Hold the tube in your non-dominant hand.

  5. Use the tail wire of one end of the tube to string 1 bugle bead. Pass through the next seed bead on the other end of the tube, and then pass through the next seed bead on the first end of the tube. Repeat three times, until you've worked your way around the tube and the two ends are zipped together.

  6. Weave the two wire ends so that they are exiting the same bead. Use both ends of wire to string 1 crimp tube. Pull the wires snug, push the crimp tube as close to the beads as possible, and crimp. Turn the crimp tube so that it hides inside the African helix tube.

Projects not intended for children under the age of 13. The information on this instruction sheet is presented in good faith, but no warranty is given, nor results guaranteed. Soft Flex® Company disclaims all liability from any injury to anyone undertaking the construction of this project as a result of improper safety precautions.