beaded watch band


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		Easy how-to-make Crystal bead watch band.

	With the addition of the lovely Austrian crystal watch faces to our product line, we simply couldn’t resist making a beaded watch band. “Wanting to make the watch easy to wear we have made a beaded stretch watch band, absolutely fantastic for the elderly and children. This watch is easy to make and you can slip it on and off easily without a second thought.”


	The supplies: One Austrian crystal watch head 6 mm Swarovski bicones - jet and crystal 4 mm Swarovski bicones - jet Matsuno seed bead size 11 - crystal clear Gossamer floss 75 cm The final number of beads depends on the size of the band. You can use any colour beads you like and change the colour pattern to suit yourself. .
		The tools we used: 2 needles - either big eye or twisted GS Hypo cement glue Scissors



Start by threading the needles onto each end of your gossamer floss. Take your watch face and thread the gossamer floss through the holes on the watch band. Centre the gossamer floss so the lengths either side are even. Take two 6mm swarovski jet beads and thread one onto each side of the thread. Next, take one 6mm swarovski crystal bead and thread it onto one side only so you have the three beads threaded the same as image right.



				Now using the thread that has one Swarovski jet bead only, thread across through the Swarovski crystal bead so you end up with the same as the image left. You should have a length of gossamer floss coming through each side of the swarovski bicone.



		Now we are going to begin a repeat pattern for our beaded watch band. One one side of the gossamer floss, thread on two seed beads, one 4 mm Swarovski jet bicone bead and two more seed beads. Repeat on the other side. Then on one thread only string one 6 mm Swarovski bicone (in our case jet), and with the other needle cross thread through the 6 mm bicone to complete one sequence. Looking at the image below for a guide simply continue the sequence until you are getting close to the length you require for your watch band.


	NOTE: At any time you can create a knot before cross threading into your 6 mm bicone. Here we have used a square knot, popped a dab of glue on, waited a moment and then as we crossed threaded through the 6 mm Swarovski bicone we pulled the knot into the bead and out of view.


	What we have to the left is our watch almost finished but we need to determine the length correctly. What we want is the watch to sit nicely on the wrist with just a little movement and stretch when being taken on and off. This can be one of the hardest parts of making jewellery especially for a beginner but we use a wonderful tool that makes it so much easier. Using our EZ bracelet sizer we have a measurement of the wrist and using a temporary knot pop the watch onto the sizer until we have the band just right.



			If you don’t have an EZ bracelet sizer and are using a flat measurement like a ruler please be aware that your bead size will make the watch band slightly smaller when worn.

After the size of the band is determined, undo the temporary knot, de-string the last two 6 mm bicones and work back through the cross pass on the 6 mm bicone remaining. Now it is time to knot, especially if you haven’t knotted as yet. Work a knot, glue and then cross thread through the 6 mm bicone pulling the knot inside. String a 6 mm Swarovski bicone on each needle and then with one needle thread through the watch. Make sure your band is not twisted.

Now its time for your last knot, don’t forget to glue let it dry. Then with the needle that has not threaded through the watch, thread through and pull the knot inside the watch hole. Trim off the tails and give your watch a few tugs to make sure it will hold. If nothing comes flying off then you are done!

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Free beading tutorial by Yvonne Kristel all rights reserved.

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