Leather + Thread Wrapped Bracelet DIY – a year of handmade gift

Here is part 2 of my nephew Conrad’s birthday gift. I gave him two more bracelets using the same technique to make both of them. The diy tutorial is below. These were fun and so easy to make.  My boys (8 and 9) were so excited they demanded I make them some too.  So, more fun bracelets to come.  This alternating leather and thread one is my favorite.

If you’re looking for more girly, glammy bracelets, check out my gallery of jewelry for girls (or women!) here.

Materials:
Leather or faux leather rope
Thin leather cord
Embroidery thread (DMC 5)

Twist the loop and tie a knot.  Trim some of the excess from the end, leaving about 1/4 coming from the knot.

Bring the end of the leather cord alongside the leather rope.

Start wrapping the leather cord around the leather rope and its own tail that you’ve held along the bracelet.

When you reach the desired number of wraps, twist and loop the leather cord such that the part coming from the bracelet  is on top of the twist.   Tighten around the bracelet at the bottom of the wraps.  This I call a “locking loop.”  Trim the excess on the end piece.

Wrap the thread until section is desired length, pushing the wraps against the beginning of the bracelet. Then, lock that section with a locking loop (as above.)  Trim the excess on the end piece of thread.

For each section of leather and for each section of thread, keep the number of wraps consistent.

Do a locking loop at the end of each section.

This is what the leather looks like locked.

Repeat these alternating wrapped sections until desired length. Lock the last wrapped section a number of times.

Make two knots at the end with the cord, the rope and the thread together.  Two knots will allow for varying lengths of bracelet.  Trim the ends.

Finis!

I think all three of my Conrad gifts are fabulous.  You can also make wrapped bracelets with a locking loop the entire way. A lot of folks do it that way. This puts a little bump, which is the twist, in the thread or cord, but it makes a cool pattern in the bracelet if you do that way consistently.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I just think jewelry looks cool on boys.  My boys really like the idea of adding the football as a prop – even cooler!