You’ll have fun playing with Pellet beads when you create this flexible bangle in a monochromatic or striped palette.
The following instructions are for the black/silver/topaz bangle, which results in three long stripes around the length of the bangle. You can also work the bangle in all one color, as in the silver version, or modify the pattern for short vertical stripes.
SUPPLIES
All bangles
- Fireline 6 lb. test or.008 Wildfire
- beading needles, #11 or #12
black/silver/topaz bangle 21⁄4 in. (5.7 cm) diameter
- Preciosa traditional Czech beads
- 8 g 4 x 6 mm Pellet beads in each of 3 colors: A (23980, jet), B (29942, crystal volcano), C (23901, crystal blond flare)
silver bangle colors:
- 24 g 4 x 6 mm Pellet beads (27400, crystal full chrome)
Beads available at www.redpandabeads.com unless otherwise noted.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. On a comfortable length of thread and leaving a 6-in. (15 cm) tail, work in
ladder stitch to make a three-bead ladder using a color A, a color B, and a color C 4 x 6 mm Pellet bead. The holes in the Pellets should be parallel to each other and oriented horizontally with the flat round ends facing you (FIGURE 1).
2. Pick up a C and a B, and sew through the B in the previous row. Continue through the C in the previous row and the C just added (FIGURE 2, a–b). The newPellets should be positioned so that the indented sides are facing you. Sew through the B added in this step, the B in the previous row, and the A in the previous row (b–c). Pick up an A, sew through the B added in this step, and continue through the A just added (c–d). Make sure that the A, like the B and the C, is positioned with the indented side facing you.
3. Pick up an A and a B, and sew through the B and the C in the previous row (FIGURE 3, a–b). Position the new Pellets so that the flat round ends are facing you. Pick up a C, and sew through the B added in this step, the B and the C in the previous row, and the C just added (b–c). Make sure that the C, like the B and the A, is positioned with the flat round end facing you.
4. Pick up a C and a B, sew through the B and the C in the previous row, and continue through the C just added (FIGURE 4, a–b). The new Pellets should be positioned so that the indented sides are facing you. Sew through the B added in this step and the B and the A in the previous row (b–c). Pick up an A, and sew through the B added in this step, the B and the A in the previous row, and the A just added (c–d). Make sure that the A, like the B and the C, is positioned with the indented side facing you.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the desired length bangle, ending and adding thread as needed and ending with an even number of rows. Our 2 1⁄4-in. (5.7 cm) diameter bangle has 46 Pellets along each edge. The bangle should just fit around the widest part of your hand.
6. To join the ends: Work a ladder stitch thread path through the first and last rows (FIGURE 5). Retrace the thread path, and end the working thread and tail.
If your tension is a little loose, you can tighten it up after you complete the bangle: Add 1 yd. (.9 m) of thread to the beadwork, exiting an edge bead. Sew through the beads along one edge, sew through to the opposite edge, and repeat.
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