Visit my Etsy Shop

Visit my Etsy Shop
Click Photo to Visit my Etsy Shop

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Independence Day and Friendship Bracelets

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Independence Day.

A recent visit to the Veterinarian Chiropractor with Justice in search of assistance with her neck and gait impairment issues in conjunction with the recent giveaway and tutorial by Lesley Watt of Gossiping Goddess got me to friendship bracelets.  I so seldom know where the inspiration for things comes from, but I have been able to identify these two sources as the inspiration, or maybe motivation, to experiment and explore Friendship Bracelets.  I know they have been around for years, my niece wore them, I'm sure your niece wore them, and most every other young girl.  They have presented in many different styles and from different materials.

Lisa, the sweet and friendly receptionist at the vet's office was wearing an arm full of them and they were so cute.  Tiny, waxed linen, macrame -- an adorable mix of color and materials and methods. 

Aren't they cute?

And, then, Lesley came out with her giveaway and tutorial.  Well, who could resist that?  So I dug through my stuff which includes lots of different types of cord - and I haven't even gotten to some of it yet -- and this is what I've done so far.  Well, actually, I've made a couple more since I took this picture, but this will give you an idea.


Toward the back of the picture are three that I made using Lesley's tutorial; however, I did not have any beads or jump rings in 5mm that I could get the thread through the holes -- none that I could find when I wanted them anyway.  So I used other sizes and I even made one using split jump rings because I have tons of those and I also liked the double jump ring look of them.  I'm experimenting with different closures too - I really like the small sizes of the vintage and antique buttons so I am hitting my stash of those for closures.  And, I'm making a few with the macrame wrap closure as well.  I am having a ball making them. 

I then had a hankering (that's a designers term that basically means "your butt is on fire") to make a macrame choker which incorporated a Double Chinese Knot (I had never made one before) and this is the result of that emergency -- I found the pendant in my box of goodies from Pam Cresswell of Indian Creek Studio.  It has the perfect colors in it to go with the deep Merlot Red of one side of the leather and the deep Forest Green of the other side with just enough brown and gold tones to make it interesting.  This necklace is 16", choker length, and lays around the collar bone just perfectly.


I finished the back with basketweave-textured clamps and a lobster clasp.  I hope you enjoy looking as much as I have been enjoying making.......

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Jean, I recently made two friendship-type bracelets with black waxed linen cord in macrame style with seed beads placed on the outside cords. This was the first time I tried this style and I liked the way they turned out. I kept the first I made, and gave the 2nd to a coworker who is a wonderful person and friend.
I enjoyed this post. Thanks for doing it on friendship bracelets.
vickie

Sharon Driscoll said...

Those a looking good. I've been working on a long knotted necklace. Funny how everything old is new again - remember the macrame plant holders and bracelets from the "hippie" days?

Unknown said...

You are just too talented! These are just great and makes me want to go thru my little stash as well! I've really enjoyed my couple of beading days!

Lesley said...

Love these Jean - my tut has proved to be very adaptable to shape and size...i've been amazed and delighted at the pictures being posted on Facebook. There is something very addictive and therapeutic about friendship bracelets. And I just love that choker design -another great variation on a theme - I'll be trying that out for sure.

Alice said...

Beautiful!!!! It seems these have made a comeback, and not just with the younger girls. Both my daughters love these.

I have never made them because I'm terrible at that kind of thing. But I am itching to try it after seeing all the lovely designs around the web.

Karen Totten said...

Jean these are wonderful! I love the simple almost tribal nature of these.