Ladder Stitch Bead Bracelet

Materials:

0.5mm Stretch Magic bead and jewelry cord
2 dozen 8mm glass pearl beads
4 dozen 4mm fire-polish glass beads (FP)
strand of 8/0 drop beads
G-S Hypo-Tube cement glue

Note: In this example, the green beads are the 'pearl' beads and the pink beads are the fire-polish or FP beads.

1. Cut a 30-inch piece of elastic cord.

2. String a 4mm fire-polish glass bead (FP), an 8mm pearl and another 4mm FP onto the cord.

3. Fold the cord in half to center the beads.

4. Place one 8mm pearl on the left cord.

5. Thread the right cord through the 8mm pearl in the opposite direction (you are crisscrossing the cords through the center pearl bead) (figure A). Pull tight (figure B).

8. To finish off the basic bracelet, thread the left or right cord through the original 8mm pearl bead (figure G).

9. Tie a surgeon's knot and use the Hypo-Tube cement to seal the knot. Let dry before cutting the ends close to the knot.

10. After the basic bracelet is completed and the glue is dry, you can embellish it by adding additional beads in between the 4mm FP beads. Cut an 18-inch piece of elastic cord and pass one end of the cord through a 4mm FP.

11. Add two drop beads and pass through the next 4mm FP.

12. Continue adding two drop beads in between each 4mm FP until you reach the end.

13. Tie a surgeon's knot and glue as above to seal. Repeat for the other side of the bracelet.

Tip: Try experimenting with various sizes and shapes of beads, with and without embellishments. When you embellish the sides with additional beads, the bracelet keeps its shape longer.