Noodle Bead Bracelets in Pink, Blue and Silver

Iron Craft ‘13 Challenge #1 - Cotton

I’ve decided to join Iron Craft Challenge this year! I’ve watched Kathy, Susi and co. show off their beautiful projects and this year, Kathy asked me if it was time for me to join. After doing my Ornament Wreath a while back, I realized I’d missed crafting. So when she asked, I said yes! Every challenge has a different theme, and this first one is Cotton. We could make anything we wanted, but it had to be made with cotton.

See my new shop for these bracelets and other handmade items for sale! Click the photo below and you'll be taken directly to the shop.

I gave it some thought, and came up with these bracelets made with waxed cotton cord. I can’t sew to save my life, or crochet or knit, and these seemed like a good way to ease back into crafting. I love the bright silver noodle beads, and you can use any color cotton cord you want to personalize yours. I already have some supplies for making jewelry, though for this project, I needed everything but the tools that I have.

My local Michael’s and Hobby Lobby were out of the findings I needed to make these, and I almost panicked until I found Beadaholique!  Beadaholique.com makes it so simple! Not only do they sell everything you could ever need to make jewelry, but they also sell ready made kits that they put together. Pick a project, see the directions, and go ahead and order a kit if you like. That’s what I did for these bracelets.

You can find the directions and supply list here. I also picked up these extender chains for a little dangling action. The crystal charms are to add some sparkle and are from Hobby Lobby--a set of 4 for under $2. It was pretty simple to make these! It definitely helps to have the correct tools, so if you can spare it, the tools are pretty inexpensive at your local big chain craft stores.

• Note that their project instructions are for a finished 6 1/2 inch bracelet. I wanted a 7 inch bracelet, so I cut my cords at 6 3/4 inches.
• I’d also like to note that the blue cord was from Michael’s and had no measurement on it. The pink cord from the kit is 1.5 mm, and the blue one is much thinner, so I cut 10 blue cords to fit into the Barrel Cord Ends.
• I had a little trouble getting the ends of the cords all to go easily into the Barrel Cord Ends, so I grabbed the pointy file in my kit that looks like the first one on the left in this photo to push any stray ones in. That made it simple.

I hope you’ll check out the other entries in the Iron Craft Challenge, and you can also check out the Flickr Group!

Comments

[kim]

They are gorgeous! Are you selling any? I am not so crafty..

[kat]

Great showing for your first challenge! Here's to a very crafty year.

[Elle]

I certainly could, Kim! Are you interested?

[Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie]

I always want to make the jewelry I see all over pinterest, but stores like Joann and Michaels just don't have everything I need. Thanks for this website!

[Elle]

You're welcome, Erin!

[Elle]

Thank you, kat!

[Jinxy]

I am so in love with the blue bracelet.

[Elle]

Thank you, Jinxy!

[April was in CT now CA]

Soooo darn cute!!! Love these.